Chapter 12

Chapter 12

They hadn’t traveled much farther before arriving at the residence Fu Huang had prepared for Eunuch Qin.

The house wasn’t particularly large—certainly not befitting the status of the emperor’s most trusted eunuch—but it was nestled between mountains and water, with an elegant and tranquil environment. The furnishings inside were thoughtfully arranged, and upon closer inspection, bore some resemblance to the ideal home Eunuch Qin had often described.

Fu Huang said, “Look at other high-ranking officials—living in splendor, surrounded by attendants, yet here I am, fussing over such things for an old servant like you.”

Eunuch Qin chuckled. “Under the heavens, I am the only one honored enough to have His Majesty personally arrange a residence for me.”

Fu Huang reclined in the rocking chair for a while before standing up and asking, “Are you satisfied?”

“Very much so. When the time comes, this old servant will die here.”

Fu Huang said, “I’ve even picked out a burial spot for you. A feng shui master examined it—said it’ll ensure you’re reborn as a wealthy man of leisure in your next life.”

Eunuch Qin laughed heartily.

Fu Huang drifted off in the rocking chair, while Eunuch Qin sat quietly by his side.

The residence was located at the foot of Yongchang Mountain, and from the courtyard, one could see Chonghua Temple atop the mountain. Fu Ye and the Empress Dowager had likely finished the ancestral rites and were now paying respects at the temple. The distant sound of drums and music drifted down through the treetops, and faintly visible were the ceremonial canopies and banners along the mountain path. Eunuch Qin thought of a certain lady at Chonghua Temple and felt a pang of melancholy.

After paying respects at Chonghua Temple, the Empress Dowager stopped to rest at Lihua Palace at the mountain’s base.

Lihua Palace was originally larger than the imperial palace, once part of the imperial gardens. A great fire had destroyed much of it, and though it was later rebuilt, the late emperor rarely visited. After Fu Huang ascended the throne, not wanting to be reminded of certain faces, he relocated all of the late emperor’s consorts here.

The late emperor had a fondness for women, and his consorts were numerous—many resided here. While imperial consorts could accompany the royal family to the ancestral rites at the imperial temple, not every dowager consort had the right to attend.

Mainly because there were simply too many of them.

Fu Ye only recognized a handful of high-ranking consorts, such as Consort Li and Ning Imperial Consort.

The titles of the dowager consorts suited their personas perfectly. For instance, Consort Li was exceptionally beautiful, appearing no older than forty, with her hair styled in an elaborate updo. Shuang Fu mentioned that Consort Li had been highly favored, second only to Lady Zhaoyang, and had given birth to the Fourth Prince, Fu Ying.

Ning Imperial Consort, on the other hand, had the serene demeanor of someone long devoted to Buddhist practice—quiet as a chrysanthemum. Though her hair was streaked with white, her bearing was refined and dignified. Shuang Fu explained that Ning Imperial Consort had not been favored during Emperor Wuzong’s reign, but she had served in the palace for many years and was from the Zhang clan, a distant cousin of the current Empress Dowager, which elevated her status to match Consort Li’s.

She had the bearing of a general’s daughter—elegant yet imbued with quiet dignity. She had been the one sent to the prefect’s residence to investigate the matter during the earlier incident.

Apart from them, there were two lesser-known and unremarkable dowager consorts—Consort Liu and Consort Feng. Neither had borne children nor enjoyed favor, and both were older than the late empress. Perhaps for this reason, they had stayed clear of palace intrigues and were the only two dowager consorts who still resided in the palace, living in the Golden Buddha Pavilion. Occasionally, they would chat with the Empress Dowager in Cien Palace, making them familiar faces. These two consorts had gentle, kindly expressions and treated Fu Ye with great gentleness.

Shuang Fu made sure to mention Dowager Concubine Fang, a princess from a vassal state and the youngest among the dowager consorts. He praised her for her talents—singing and dancing—but lamented that Fu Ye hadn’t had the chance to meet her on this trip.

While the Empress Dowager rested, Fu Ye, too excited to sleep, changed into a new set of robes with the help of palace attendants and stepped out. He removed his ceremonial crown and donned a crimson robe. Though the ancestral robes were also reddish, they were far too solemn and formal for such an occasion. This new robe was even more splendid, radiating both nobility and beauty, woven with golden threads depicting flowers and auspicious beasts. It was one of his favorite pieces crafted by the Imperial Wardrobe Office, and wearing it lifted his spirits immensely.

Noticing the awestruck gazes of the palace attendants as he passed by further improved his mood.

For now, all his worries were set aside.

He strolled through Lihua Palace, accompanied by Shuang Fu and Qing Xi.

Shuang Fu mentioned that this was where he had gone missing years ago.

When Shuang Fu first arrived, he had been cautious with his words, but after serving Fu Ye for so long, his loyalty had deepened.

One clear sign of this loyalty was his newfound willingness to speak of things he once wouldn’t dare mention.

For instance, he recounted the details of the emperor’s flight during the barbarian invasion. Fu Ye had assumed the emperor had simply panicked upon hearing of the approaching enemy and fled the palace in haste. But according to Shuang Fu, the emperor had made extensive preparations—appointing civil and military officials to remain in the capital, secretly arranging carriages and supplies, and loading several carts with gold and jewels before sneaking out of the palace under cover of darkness.

The escape had been so covert that many palace attendants, including ministers expecting to attend court, remained unaware. The court rituals proceeded as usual until the palace gates opened, revealing the scattering attendants—only then did the officials realize the emperor had already fled.

The whole capital descended into chaos in an instant.

"I was only three or four years old at the time, but I vaguely remember the scene of the escape. Most fled toward the city gates, but some rushed into the mansions of nobles or even the imperial palace. Looters seized the chance to pillage and murder. Before the Hu invaders even arrived, the capital was already in turmoil! Our family hadn’t yet escaped the city when we saw thick smoke billowing from the foot of Yongchang Mountain, with flames reaching the sky."

Fu Ye held his breath, riveted.

At that time, the emperor had already reached the Lihua Hunting Palace but for some reason lingered there. Desperate commoners tried storming the palace and were slaughtered by the golden-armored guards; dozens lay dead. Then, as dawn approached, Lihua Palace went up in flames. It was the twelve-year-old Fu Huang, along with his attendants, who charged into the inferno to save Lady Zhaoyang and the Sixth Prince.

Yet amid the chaos, the Sixth Prince vanished.

Though Shuang Fu hadn’t lived through the fire himself, he recounted it so vividly, it was like he’d been there—a bone-chilling account.

"And then what happened?"

"Then the golden-armored guard commander, Li Weiming, rebelled and forced Emperor Wuzong to remain in the capital, insisting that a noble must stay to reassure the people," Shuang Fu said. "Indeed, given the circumstances, the officials and generals left behind couldn’t calm the populace. In the end, it was His Majesty—then only twelve but the eldest among the princes—who volunteered to stay."

Fu Ye: "!!!"

Damn, what a legend!

"The Third Prince, Fu Hui, who had always been close to His Majesty, also stayed behind. It was from that year onward that the future emperor started riding with the troops."

Fu Ye hadn’t known that Fu Huang had any brothers he was close to.

"Were His Majesty and the Third Prince very close?"

Shuang Fu replied, "The Third Prince was Ning Imperial Consort’s son. Since Ning Imperial Consort is Empress Dowager Zhang’s cousin, the Third Prince often visited the empress dowager’s palace. He was only half a year younger than His Majesty and was the closest to him among all the princes."

"Then how did the Third Prince die in the end?"

Shuang Fu hesitated briefly but eventually whispered, "The Third Prince also died in Qingtai Palace."

Fu Ye: "!!! Did His Majesty kill him?"

Shuang Fu said, "Palace intrigues aren’t for the likes of me to know."

After a pause, he added, "It’s said... the Third Prince offered His Majesty poisoned wine, and His Majesty forced him to drink it himself..."

Shuang Fu clasped his hands in front of him and lowered his head, while Qing Xi pressed his lips together in silence. An icy gust cut through them, making Fu Ye shudder—a cold that settled deep in his marrow.

Since Fu Huang had recognized the wine as poisoned, one could only wonder what he thought as he stared at that cup, or how he felt watching Fu Hui drink it and die.

After years away from the capital, returning victorious, only to face suspicion from his father and jealousy from his brothers, all while suffering from a grave illness—and in the end, rewarded with a cup of poison.

Hell, anyone would snap after that.

Fu Ye, ever hot-blooded, burned with rage, his eyes stinging, deeply aggrieved on Fu Huang’s behalf.

Qingtai Palace that night—must’ve been a bloodbath. He recalled that Empress Dowager Zhang had once seemed quite close to Fu Huang. Did this turn them from allies to enemies?

But Xiao Ai remarked, "With his history, could he ever fully trust anyone?"

Over ten miles away, in the courtyard residence, Fu Huang said, "There are things I know you don’t want to hear, but I must say them. Now that the Sixth Prince has returned, the court’s balance will shatter. The west and south are unstable, and the northern barbarians are stirring. I won’t live to see old age—you must make preparations early."

Eunuch Qin: "Your Majesty!"

Fu Huang said coldly, "Keep my incense burning here—that’s all I ask. What else could I possibly expect?"

Eunuch Qin fell silent, clearly unwilling to comply, but his aged eyes glistening, his heart churned with emotion.

Annoyed by the sentimentality, Fu Huang mounted his horse, took the reins, and gazed toward Lihua Hunting Palace. "Let’s visit the gods above."