Chapter 57 Dilemma

Chapter 57 A Fork in the Road

Fu Tai brought A Wu a bronze hand-warmer. She hugged it tightly, resting her chin on her knees as she gazed at the slow-burning charcoal in the nearby brazier, wrapped in her thoughts.

Fu Tai didn’t dare disturb her and could only keep her quiet company, occasionally listening for any movement outside.

Today’s events had escalated into a serious incident within the imperial court—one that could shake the court and even affect the entire nation if mishandled. Though Fu Tai maintained a calm expression, his heart pounded with fear.

Fortunately, the Thirteen Imperial Guards and ordinary personnel had been kept at a distance, with only the Imperial Guard nearby. If handled properly and sealed with a gag order afterward, perhaps the matter could be concealed.

For the emperor on high, no matter how unbearable the sight of his woman in tears might be, this time, he had no choice but to endure it.

One was the woman he held in his heart, the other his own son—which could he bear to forsake?

Of course, Fu Tai had also considered the worst-case scenario.

Just two days prior, the emperor had secretly issued a decree, ordering the eighteen imperial guards of the capital to be on standby for deployment to defend the city. Among them, the Golden Guard’s front and rear divisions, the Feather Forest’s left and right divisions, the Five Garrison Divisions, the Tiger Warriors, and the Flying Cavalry’s left and right divisions were already mobilized.

The last time the Jingxi Emperor had issued such an order was years ago, when he had exiled or executed thousands of officials in a fit of rage.

The Great Hui Empire could withstand turmoil, and the Jingxi Emperor had clearly prepared for the worst—if the crown prince remained obstinate, it would count as treason, with the crown princess’s actions serving as a ready-made excuse.

The crown prince was still too inexperienced. He had yet to fully grasp the kind of power his father, who had ruled the court for eighteen years, wielded.

Not to mention, the emperor’s scheming mind could easily play the naive prince like a fiddle.

As Fu Tai pondered this, footsteps sounded outside.

Fu Tai started, and A Wu was equally startled, quickly turning to look.

Their hearts pounded as they waited. Moments later, in the dim light of night, the palace doors slowly creaked open, and lantern light spilled in—the glow of a gauze lantern.

A Wu’s lips trembled.

Along with the lantern came the scabbard of a sword and the hem of a robe. Then, a figure stepped inside—it was none other than Fang Yue.

And then A Wu saw the crown prince.

By now, the prince had been relieved of his sword, his hairpiece disheveled.

Fu Tai hurried out, and Fang Yue whispered something to him. Fu Tai seemed to relax slightly before returning to inform A Wu that the prince wished to speak with her alone.

Clutching her skirt, A Wu shook her head hesitantly and managed to say, “Perhaps… it’s best not to.”

The moment Fang Yue appeared, she knew that if this were a contest between father and son, the prince had lost utterly—he never stood a chance to begin with.

But now, why would the Jingxi Emperor allow the prince to speak with her? What did he mean by this?

Had he grown tired of her and decided to hand her over to his son like a discarded object?

Besides, she didn’t know how to face the prince or what to say.

Her mind was in turmoil, devoid of any clear thought, and she could only look to Fu Tai for help.

Fu Tai was also troubled but steeled himself to say, “Your Ladyship need not fear. Since it’s the Emperor’s command, perhaps you could speak with His Highness and… offer some advice?”

Advice?

A Wu thought for a moment before giving a faint nod in agreement.

When she consented, Fang Yue quickly brought the Crown Prince inside.

Fang Yue lifted his gaze, his eyes quickly flickering over A Wu.

The young lady, coddled and protected deep within the imperial palace, had grown even more delicate and radiant—though it was clear she was utterly terrified now, her thin eyelids still wet with tears.

He swiftly averted his eyes, lowering his voice respectfully as he said, "I'll be waiting outside the hall. Should Her Ladyship require anything, just let me know."

A Wu wasn't really listening, nodding absently.

Fang Yue bowed his head, considerately closing the door behind him as he withdrew to the outer hall, with Fu Tai close behind.

The Crown Prince gazed at A Wu and started by explaining the matter of the Crown Princess's pregnancy.

Somewhat shamefacedly, he said, "At the time, I didn’t know you were in trouble. I thought you were safe at Yanxiang Temple. His Majesty said some things, and I thought... if I could maintain a good relationship with the Crown Princess, there might be a chance in the future—even a slim hope—to bring you back."

He said bitterly, "Just that one time... I never expected..."

A Wu couldn’t look up, keeping her eyes downcast. "Your Highness, there’s no need to explain. The Crown Princess’s pregnancy is happy news, and I’m glad to hear it."

The Crown Prince: "Once I learned how she treated you, I could never touch her again. Never."

A Wu: "Your Highness, why put yourself through this? There’s no need."

The Crown Prince’s pained gaze shakily moved over every inch of A Wu before he whispered, "A Wu, did you ever have feelings for me, even a little?"

A Wu: "I don’t know. I really don’t. Your Highness is kind, of course, but..."

The Crown Prince: "But you don’t wish to be with me, do you?"

A Wu: "Yes."

The Crown Prince: "Because I’m already married?"

A Wu replied softly, "Yes."

The Crown Prince: "If I had never married, would you have liked me more?"

A Wu thought carefully before shaking her head in confusion. "I still wouldn’t know... When I met you, you were already married. I can’t imagine what you would have been like otherwise."

The Crown Prince’s heart ached. "During our time together, every day felt as sweet as honey to me. What about you? Did you not feel even the slightest affection?"

A Wu fell silent for a moment before finally lifting her eyes to meet his. "Of course I cared for you. But there are many things in this world I like—tomorrow’s sunlight, piles of gold, fresh spring vegetables, clean and soft bedding."

She spoke solemnly. "A Wu likes Your Highness, but A Wu doesn’t have to have Your Highness. Besides, Your Highness was never truly mine to begin with."

The Crown Prince went still.

A Wu sighed, gazing out at the dark night beyond the window. "Now that it's come to this, how will it all end? Whatever the outcome, it’s more than A Wu can bear. If history records this, A Wu will be branded a wicked woman, a temptress who led a nation astray—all the blame will fall on me..."

The Crown Prince stared at the fragile figure before him, in such pain he could barely stand.

Leaning against the windowsill, he said, "Just now, he promised me—if you’re willing to leave with me, he’ll let us go. Come away with me, won't you? To the Eastern Sea, on a voyage. I’ll accompany you to find your father and brother!"

The words painted a beautiful picture in A Wu’s heart, yet she still shook her head.

Steadfast, she replied, "Your Highness, as the Crown Prince of Great Hui, you are destined to rule the world and bless your people. But you cannot sail the seas with A Wu, nor can you give A Wu the life she truly desires."

The Crown Prince: "Why?"

A Wu was somewhat cruel, yet unflinchingly honest as she said, "In the eyes of the Emperor and the court officials, Your Highness is naturally both cultured and martial, an exceptional talent among men. But in the streets or sailing overseas, Your Highness would end up homeless and starving."

Book learning is useless, and even archery is but a rich man's game.

By the sea or on a ship, a hundred royals couldn't measure up to a single elder brother.

A Wu had understood since childhood that strength and skill were needed to keep food on the table.

Brother Ye Han polished shells every day, sweat streaming down his arms, dirt and dust crammed under his fingernails. Yet A Wu never found it filthy—that was what honest work for wages looked like.

She lifted her chin and said coolly, "Your Highness, away from the court and without His Majesty's protection, what would you have to shield me with, to provide for me? I can sew, cook, dry fish, and manage household chores, but I need a man who can earn a living outside and be someone who can carry his own weight."

The Crown Prince was cut to the quick, his eyes filled with pain.

In the glow of the bronze brazier, he looked at A Wu. Her expression held no softness—she was hard as flint.

Pressing his trembling lips together, he said, "Yes, Your Highness, I am useless. I am exactly that kind of useless man."

A Wu replied, "Your Highness, we met by chance. Naturally, A Wu wishes you well. You were blessed to be born into the imperial family, the only prince, born to be Emperor. Such fortune is the envy of others—you should cherish it."

The Crown Prince recalled his father's words, his heart in turmoil, all surging forth at once.

He closed his eyes in agony. "But—but is this what I wanted? No matter what, you belong with me, yet I couldn't even protect you!"

A Wu said, "Your Highness, there's no point in saying this. A Wu is still grateful to you. If not for you, today I would still be breaking my back farming in the fields of a backwater farm."

The Crown Prince's eyes flickered. After a long silence, he finally said, "A Wu, let me ask you—"

A Wu replied, "Please speak, Your Highness."

But the Crown Prince suddenly fell silent.

He wanted to ask about the handkerchief grasshopper you made, but he realized that if their words today reached Emperor Jingxi's ears, it would only bring disaster upon A Wu.

His father tolerated his persistence out of guilt and fatherly love, but what if the Emperor learned that during that shameful morning, A Wu had secretly left him a token?

Would he then take his anger out on A Wu?

The handkerchief grasshopper was hidden against his chest, searing like a brand.

His lips moved slightly, and in an unusually hoarse voice, he said, "It's nothing, Your Highness. I just suddenly remembered the grasshopper you folded for me before."

After he spoke, he noticed A Wu's lashes fluttered, a flicker of panic in her eyes.

Then he understood.

So it was true—she had left it deliberately, hoping he would find it.

Suddenly, he didn't know what to feel. That morning, after she had been with his father, her thoughts had still been with him. She had held some hope for him...

But he had missed it.

He looked at A Wu again and finally said, "But A Wu... will you just stay in the harem like this?"

A Wu's heart leaped to her throat.

She truly regretted leaving such a hidden danger for herself and feared the Crown Prince bringing it up. Fortunately, he wasn't entirely foolish.

If he had mentioned that handkerchief, she would surely have died horribly, and a permanent divide would have formed between father and son. Though Emperor Jingxi had only this one son... but what if...?

So, let's not bring up anything. It's best for both of us to go our separate ways.

She looked into the Crown Prince's eyes and said slowly, "I'm perfectly content with my life as it is. I want to stay in the harem and accompany His Majesty for the rest of my life."

The Crown Prince hesitated for a moment and whispered, "That day you told me you didn't want to be a concubine, that you also wanted to be a proper wife."

A Wu replied, "I did think that way once, but now I serve the ruler of Great Hui. Among His Majesty's three thousand consorts in the imperial harem, I'm honored just to be among them."

The Crown Prince's gaze was pained. "You're being foolish."

A Wu was utterly calm. "This is what I want."

The Crown Prince asked, "Does he... please you that much?"

A Wu answered, "Yes."

She said contentedly, "Your Highness, the Emperor is exceptional in every way... As a woman, I would gladly die for the honor of serving His Majesty."

She looked at the Crown Prince tenderly but spoke cruel words: "Having witnessed the Emperor's imperial majesty, all past experiences seem like childish games. My loyalty to His Majesty knows no bounds."

The meaning was unmistakable.

Any man would be devastated to hear such words, and the Crown Prince was no exception.

In truth, years ago while reading medical texts, he'd stumbled upon the imperial physician's cryptic notes about his father—but he understood. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it. Who could have imagined that today, he would hear these words from the woman he loved.

Childish games...

The Crown Prince realized A Wu must be doing this deliberately, but the pain was still unbearable.

He gazed at her for a long time before finally saying with a broken heart, "So be it, if that's your wish. From now on, we shall be strangers when we meet."

After that night, A Wu huddled in the side chamber, waiting for a long time. Outside the window was only dark silence, completely still.

**************

She faintly saw some figures and recognized one as Fang Yue, standing guard outside like a sentinel.

A Wu actually wanted to ask around—they were old friends after all—but she knew it was pointless. At a time like this, everyone would keep their mouths shut.

That Fang Yue had always been extremely cautious.

Finally, handmaidens came to attend to her.

Anxious about Wei Lan, Yi Lan, and several young palace eunuchs, A Wu quickly inquired and learned everyone was fine except Wei Lan, who had injured her arm. Fortunately, it was only superficial, not affecting bones or tendons, and would heal with proper care.

Only then did A Wu relax.

After changing her clothes, she prepared to return to her Langhua Palace.

Along the way, A Wu saw almost no one except for sword-bearing Imperial Guards. Passing those stern, formidable Imperial Guards, her knees went weak with fear.

At last, she returned to her Langhua Palace. After bathing, she lay down.

Having missed the evening meal, she was hungry, but there was nothing available to eat. Normally, there were no pastries in her palace, so she had no choice but to endure the hunger.

Unexpectedly, a palace eunuch arrived then, saying he was sent by Fu Tai from Fengtian Palace, delivering a lacquered gold box containing date-and-bean cakes with millet, travel cakes, and bird's nest congee.

Though it was simple food, A Wu wolfed it down eagerly.

After eating her fill, she rinsed her mouth and then reclined on the daybed.

Yet even as she lay there, her mind remained unsettled. Images of the night's torches, the glinting blades, and the cold, imposing countenance of the Jingxi Emperor flashed before her eyes.

He hadn’t so much as looked at her the entire time.

This left A Wu tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She didn’t know how the Jingxi Emperor would deal with her—whether he now held her in contempt.

Amidst this unease, she eventually drifted off to sleep.

The next day, she remained cautious and anxious, instructing her palace maids to sound out the situation. Yet nothing seemed amiss—the inner palace was as orderly as ever, as if nothing had happened at all.

The sun shone on the glazed tiles, the eunuchs swept the grounds, and palace maids bustled to and fro. The inner palace remained unchanged.

A Wu had no choice but to have her noon meal. After resting briefly, she went to Langqin Hall to seek out Consort Hui.

She meant to fish for information, but Consort Hui acted as if she knew nothing: "Last night, there was suddenly news of a curfew, the palace gates were closed, so I went to bed early. Why? What happened?"

Seeing this, A Wu had no choice but to feign ignorance as well, pretending not to know.

The two of them attended a lesson conducted by the palace instructress together. Everything there was also normal, though during a break, some concubines whispered that something major had happened the night before—an assassin had infiltrated the palace, intending to kill the emperor. Fortunately, the crown prince was present and protected him in time, averting disaster.

Still, the crown prince had suffered minor injuries. Though not serious, he was now recuperating carefully in his residence.

Hearing this, A Wu was secretly shocked but also finally relieved.

It seemed that, no matter what, the Jingxi Emperor had hushed up the affair to preserve the crown prince’s dignity.

But that was to be expected—after all, the boy was his sole heir.

Men, especially those with an imperial throne to pass down, were surely obsessed with progeny and succession.

At this thought, A Wu suddenly broke into a cold sweat for herself.

Between father and son, what was she? That the Jingxi Emperor hadn’t strangled her that night was pure luck.

Now that she had narrowly escaped death, and it seemed the Jingxi Emperor had no intention of pursuing her, she would simply continue lying low…

After calming slightly, she went to see Wei Lan. Wei Lan wept uncontrollably upon seeing her and made to kowtow, but A Wu stopped her, telling her to rest and recover while handing over silver taels as compensation.

Wei Lan was endlessly grateful, vowing lifelong service.

A Wu thought to herself, *I hope you can serve me for life too—that way, I can stay in the palace forever.*

She then handed out silver taels to everyone in Langhua Hall, allowing them to buy treats. The shaken servants were deeply moved.

In the days that followed, A Wu walked on eggshells, perpetually on edge. She took two meals a day with occasional tea snacks and attended lectures by the palace instructress every few days.

During this time, as an imperial concubine of the inner palace, she received all the usual privileges. When winter arrived, the palace distributed fur ear muffs, brocade with gourd patterns, auspicious eight-treasure brocade, and festive garments.

These rewards were distributed according to rank—those of higher status naturally received extra, while noble ladies like A Wu only got the standard allotment.

Even so, A Wu’s heart gradually settled.

Since that day, the Jingxi Emperor had not visited Langhua Hall. It seemed she had lost imperial favor, but this raised no eyebrows in the inner palace. She still received the allowances befitting an imperial concubine.

This consistent provision put her at ease. Even if he no longer favored her, out of lingering fondness, he was willing to keep her.

With so many consorts in the inner palace, what difference did one more make?

Amidst such uneventful days, A Wu grew increasingly close to Consort Hui. Besides her, she also became familiar with Zhao Yi, who was exceptionally beautiful, gentle, and skilled in flower arrangement.

A Wu would accompany Consort Hui to visit Zhao Yi, learning flower arrangement from her. The three of them would then enjoy tea and admire the scenery together—a rather carefree life indeed.

Zhao Yi and Consort Hui once curiously asked her why the Jingxi Emperor no longer favored her.

A Wu stammered, unable to give a clear answer, which only made them laugh.

As they chatted, the two revealed that the Jingxi Emperor hadn’t visited the harem for many years. As for why, they exchanged puzzled glances.

Unable to suppress her curiosity, A Wu pressed further, and they gradually shared the truth. In the early years, the Emperor did indeed follow the customary visits, but later, he simply stopped.

Even when he summoned consorts to attend his bedchamber, it was merely to drink tea together—saving face for them while the imperial records noted their "duty." By year’s end, everyone would be promoted accordingly.

A Wu was astonished. "Why would he do that?"

Consort Hui replied, "No reason. His Majesty probably has no interest."

Zhao Yi added, "It’s actually quite nice—minimal effort, yet we still receive rewards and status."

Consort Hui agreed, "Exactly. It even boosts His Majesty’s reputation. Once, he summoned six consorts in one night just for tea, yet rumors spread that he had ‘bedded six women in a single night’!"

A Wu gasped, "‘Bedded six women in a single night’—what a scandalous reputation!"

He really knew how to cultivate his reputation!

Zhao Yi chuckled, "Yes, ‘bedded six women in a single night,’ yet the very next morning at dawn, he attended court and held audiences for three more hours! The ministers were stunned—truly, our Emperor is mighty!"

A Wu burst out laughing.

Consort Hui continued, "Later, His Majesty didn’t even bother pretending and stopped summoning anyone altogether. But it doesn’t matter—everyone’s in equal standing."

Zhao Yi covered her lips with a smile. "Actually, His Majesty treats us very well—he’s a kind and generous master. The Empress Dowager is benevolent, and the Empress governs the inner court strictly. As long as we abide by palace regulations, everyone lives peacefully and leisurely."

Over time, A Wu also got to know other women in the inner palace—palace women, ladies of rank, and talented consorts. Most were pleasant, content with their lives, whether reading, arranging flowers, or preserving fruits.

If A Wu had initially wondered why this harem wasn’t the "full of jealousy and intrigue" place she’d imagined, she gradually understood.

In the past, the Jingxi Emperor had adhered strictly to protocol in his visits, never favoring anyone. Everyone was treated equally, leaving nothing to compete over—what was the point, when even trying might lead to punishment or expulsion?

Later, when he stopped summoning anyone at all, there was even less to compete for—no chance of bearing his heir!

Moreover, the palace rules were strict, with clear precedents for everything. Promotions were recorded according to regulations.

Of course, much of this was due to the Empress’s able administration.

No wonder the Jingxi Emperor valued her so highly.

Recalling his words—"a loving couple, treating each other with respect"—A Wu smiled. One ruled the court, the other governed the inner court. Truly, this imperial pair was an ideal pairing!

While they enjoyed their harmonious and tranquil life, she, with her fifty-three taels, was quite content.