Chapter 100

Chapter 100

The courtyard of Yikun Palace was sunny and breezy, with flowering branches running riot along the base of the walls. Consort Zhen, distrustful of others, personally picked up silver shears, stood on her tiptoes, and began trimming them with crisp snips.

Princess Zhaoyue was running wildly in the courtyard, clutching a small kite the size of a watermelon. The reel in her hand shook erratically, but despite running for a long time, the kite couldn't clear the wall, only spinning in mid-air.

The head palace maid, watching the princess's tireless enthusiasm, couldn't help but smile and say, "Our princess is already thirteen years old, soon to grow into a young lady."

Hearing the words "young lady," Consort Zhen's hand suddenly trembled. The sharp tip of the shears accidentally cut her fingertip, and a drop of blood immediately seeped out.

The head palace maid gasped, "Your Highness!"

Consort Zhen frowned, a flicker of pain crossing her expression. She wiped the blood from her fingertip with a handkerchief and turned to look at Zhaoyue, who was carefree not far away.

Thirteen years old—too old, far too old.

In another two years, she would reach the age of coming of age, and by then, Zhaoyue would be betrothed and married.

She quickly masked her concern and asked, "How has Jun Mulan been lately?"

The head palace maid hurried closer, looking rather smug. "She's still confined in Jingren Palace for reflection. However, the Emperor hasn't explicitly stated the reason, so she's likely just as confused, not even knowing what she's supposed to reflect on."

Consort Zhen couldn't help but sneer, her gaze still fixed on Zhaoyue's figure. She said lightly, "It was only by chance that I heard Empress Cao mention it back then that I learned the late Imperial Consort was mute. Back then, the Emperor even learned a set of hand signs to understand her meaning. After ascending the throne, he even founded the Fuzeyuan in the capital specifically to aid the mute. His love for her extended even to others like her, so Jun Mulan is naturally in for trouble."

The head palace maid added, "But from what I've observed, Jingren Palace only panicked on the first day. After that, they went about their business as usual. Yesterday, I heard from outside the palace walls that Consort Liang still has the mind to practice martial arts every day."

The smile quickly vanished from Consort Zhen's face. "Isn't it all because she has a good son! The Emperor now pins his hopes on Shen Zheng, so naturally, he won't be too harsh on Jun Mulan."

The head palace maid asked, "Then what about the Fourth Prince?"

Consort Zhen let out a long sigh, the shears hanging at her side. "Matters of the court are beyond my reach. I can only scheme more within the harem. If we want He'er to have a fighting chance, we must make the Emperor fear the Jun family."

The head palace maid asked, "What should we do next?"

The Imperial Consort card was a one-time play, and besides, Consort Zhen's knowledge of her was limited to this.

As they spoke, Zhaoyue, winded from running, casually tossed aside the kite and came barreling toward Consort Zhen. Consort Zhen quickly dropped the shears to the ground, opened her arms, and tightly embraced her daughter. Stroking her soft hair, she murmured helplessly, "Let me think a little more..."

Of the old stories about Imperial Consort, few among the living still knew them.

The family of the Marquis of Yongning had been transferred back to the capital from the northern deserts only after Emperor Shunyuan ascended the throne, so they had never even met Imperial Consort. Among the entire court, the only one who might know the hidden details of those years was Duke Liu, who had staunchly supported Emperor Shunyuan's ascension during the crisis.

After Liu Kangren emerged from danger, Duke Liu's health also regained its vigor. Hearing that Wen Zuo had come to visit, he hurried out personally to welcome him, his face full of warmth. "Has the Hanlin Academy Director come today to discuss important matters?"

With a wave of his hand, a servant immediately brought out fine Songluo Tea.

"Thank you, Duke." Wen Zuo nodded slightly and accepted the teacup.

The Duchess waved the servants away and calmly sat down. Having fought alongside Duke Liu on the battlefield, she was no ordinary secluded lady. When distinguished guests visited, she would also dress formally to meet and discuss matters together.

Wen Zuo took a light sip of tea to moisten his throat, then set the cup aside and got straight to the point. "I have a matter I wish to ask the Duke. It's urgent, so I won't beat around the bush. What do you know about Imperial Consort?"

"Imperial Consort?" Liu Yuanqing was taken aback, clearly not expecting him to ask about this person.

The white stone in Wen Zuo's palm grew warm from rubbing. He spoke honestly, "Consort Liang was recently ordered by the Emperor to reflect behind closed doors for punishing a palace maid who spoke unclearly. I suspect this matter is related to Imperial Consort. I implore the Duke to think carefully."

Liu Yuanqing drew a sharp breath and stroked his long beard.

Although he and the Marquis of Yongning had long held differing political views and often argued fiercely in court, generation was separate from generation. He held no prejudice against Jun Dingyuan and Jun Mulan. Moreover, because of the incident with Liu Kangren, Jun Mulan had suffered greatly, which remained a knot in his heart. Thus, he immediately composed himself and racked his brains to think.

"Back then, I was still guarding the border in the south for Emperor Kangzhen when I suddenly received a secret decree ordering me to return to the capital immediately to take charge of the Ministry of War and stabilize the court." Liu Yuanqing frowned, recalling the past. "When I rushed thousands of miles to the capital, I learned that the Crown Prince at the time had been assassinated and died from poison. The Crown Prince was wise and heroic, possessing the qualities of an enlightened ruler, and was originally the hope of the court. With his death, several princes grew restless, and the court became increasingly unstable."

"The late Emperor ordered the news to be kept secret and swiftly sent people to find the current Emperor, who was out seeking immortals and visiting Daoist masters. At that time, the late Emperor couldn't even ensure his own safety. He dispatched over ten teams of imperial guards to search various famous mountains and great rivers. However, after a long search yielded no results, some speculated that the Emperor might have met the same fate as his elder brother, the Crown Prince."

Even now, recalling this event, Liu Yuanqing still felt a lingering fear, a testament to how perilous the situation was at the time.

Wen Zuo had also heard of the Prince of Tang's rebellion, but it was a scandal of the Da Qian imperial family, rarely mentioned openly.

"Fortunately, at that critical moment, the Emperor was found. It's said that in his search for reclusive masters, he traveled all the way to Mianzhou and got lost in a place called Zheshan."

"Mianzhou?" Wen Zuo's heart suddenly trembled, and the stone in his hand nearly slipped.

So Emperor Shunyuan had been to Mianzhou that early!

Liu Yuanqing nodded and continued, "Exactly, the Director's hometown. At that time, the Emperor injured his leg in the mountains and went days without food or water, on the verge of death. Suddenly, someone cradled him, feeding him clear spring water and fresh wild fruits, thus saving his life. In his dazed state, the Emperor saw the person who saved him and felt she possessed an immortal's grace and jade-like beauty, as if a deity had descended to earth. He instantly felt mortal desire. And this person who saved the Emperor was Imperial Consort."

"The Emperor brought Imperial Consort back to the capital," Wen Zuo interjected.

There was indeed a Wangxiang Temple in Zheshan, housing a revered Master Faji. It seemed Emperor Shunyuan hadn't found the right place back then.

But he hadn't expected Imperial Consort to have been so close to Liangping County.

"Correct. Although Imperial Consort was a crude mountain woman, she had rendered meritorious service by saving the Emperor. Taking her into the household wasn't unacceptable. After all, the principal and secondary consorts were already decided, and it was the Emperor's freedom to take more concubines. Initially, no one paid much attention to this woman. With internal and external troubles and undercurrents swirling, power could shift at any moment, who had the mind to care about a wild mountain woman?"

"At that time, the late Emperor's health was failing like an oil lamp running dry. He had to make all preparations for the Emperor before his death. He had the Emperor take Liu Zhangbai and other important ministers as teachers, ordering them to instruct the Emperor day and night in the ways of governing the state and cultivating virtue, hoping the Emperor would soon become a qualified heir apparent."

"Liu Zhangbai was originally the Crown Prince's teacher. Unwilling to accept the assassination of his most outstanding student, he placed all his hopes on the Emperor and was extremely strict in his demands."

"The Emperor was originally lively, active, and disliked constraints. That period was extremely difficult for him. But whenever he had free time, he would take Imperial Consort around the capital, teaching her to read and write. Although I never met Imperial Consort, I heard she was quite rude, lacking the restraint and etiquette expected of a woman. She scaled walls and climbed trees more deftly than trained soldiers and showed none of the respect due to the Emperor. To this day, I still don't know what the Emperor saw in her."

"Perhaps the Emperor liked her precisely for this unrestrained nature," the Duchess remarked from the side. "She was completely different from the women of this world, especially those noble ladies in the princely mansions."

Liu Yuanqing didn't comment, only continued, "But if the Emperor wanted to marry her as a concubine, she had to learn palace etiquette. The late Emperor couldn't stand the Emperor's carefree and unrestrained demeanor, so he ordered Liu Zhangbai to strictly discipline him. At the same time, he sent several instructing matrons to teach Imperial Consort palace rules. In short, after several months, the Emperor finally got his wish and married Imperial Consort. Originally, taking a concubine shouldn't have been a grand affair, but the Emperor doted on her so much that he insisted on marrying her with the ceremony of a Crown Princess—an honor even Empress Liu hadn't received."

"I never expected the Emperor to have been so devoted and passionate back then," Wen Zuo couldn't help but inject a note of mockery into his tone.

"At that time, I was responsible for investigating the matter of the Prince of Tang's death warriors, working day and night, so I didn't know much about what happened at the Prince of Jing's mansion. I only knew the Emperor threw tantrums, even went on a hunger strike, nearly causing the late Emperor to spit blood in anger. In the end, he got his wish and married Imperial Consort with the ceremony of a Crown Princess."

"However, on their wedding night, Imperial Consort somehow offended the Emperor. Early the next morning, she was driven out of the princely mansion and confined to a side courtyard in the servants' quarters, with no one allowed to visit. Imperial Consort thus fell out of favor, and the Emperor stopped causing trouble, beginning to settle down and seriously study the ways of an heir apparent."

"Later, the late Emperor's illness worsened, and the Prince of Tang could no longer restrain himself. Under the banner of 'cleansing the court of evil ministers,' he sought to kill Liu Zhangbai and other important ministers and force his way into the palace to seize the throne. At this complex and critical juncture, a great fire suddenly broke out in that side courtyard in the servants' quarters. Overnight, Imperial Consort was reduced to ashes."

"From that day on, the Emperor seemed to become a completely different person." Liu Yuanqing's eyes reflected the vicissitudes of a lifetime as he sighed helplessly. "He began to suspect the loyal generals around him. First, he recalled the Marquis of Yongning to the capital to suppress and sideline me. When my resentment reached its peak, he deliberately stirred up the north-south conflict between me and the Marquis of Yongning, letting us exhaust each other. Finally, when the time was ripe, he trapped us both in the capital and gradually eased us out of the court."

"He was also extremely cold toward those important ministers left by the late Emperor, like Liu Zhangbai. He successively demoted or sent those old ministers back to their hometowns. Once, a Minister merely complained a few times in the chess room and was soon found an excuse to be executed. Within just five years, few of those teachers the late Emperor had left for him remained."

"Later, the Emperor posthumously honored that woman as Imperial Consort. The Director should know that the character 'Chen' is unique to the harem, implying the exclusive meaning of the emperor. But I've always been puzzled: if the Emperor truly doted on her so much, why did he drive her out of the princely mansion and neglect her in that remote side courtyard in the servants' quarters?"

"Master Wen, this old man only knows this much." Liu Yuanqing sighed. "After all, Imperial Consort was in the capital for barely a year before her untimely death. The traces she left were also burned clean in that fire."

The hall fell into silence for a moment.

Wen Zuo lowered his gaze, but his mind was racing, piecing together these scarce bits of information.

Imperial Consort was from Mianzhou, living in Zheshan, likely born with a speech impediment but possessing breathtaking beauty.

Emperor Shunyuan doted on her immensely, going so far as to stage a hunger strike to make her his principal consort, something even the late Emperor couldn't prevent.

However, on their wedding night, Emperor Shunyuan suddenly turned against her, leading to her ultimately burning to death in the side courtyard in the servants' quarters.

Yet after Emperor Shunyuan ascended the throne, he posthumously honored her as Imperial Consort Chen, clinging to his grief for over twenty years.

In the sixteenth year of Shunyuan, Wen Zuo first met Emperor Shunyuan during the palace examination. The emperor was gentle and even asked about his family, yet soon after, he dispatched Wen Zuo to Bozhou and then ignored him.

Shortly after Wen Zuo left the capital, Emperor Shunyuan secretly traveled to Mianzhou and happened to arrive in Liangping County, where he encountered Lin Yingniang. He secretly gave her an imperial edict but did not claim her for himself.

Wen Xu said the emperor had asked Lin Yingniang if she had any brothers, so they could be granted official positions as well.

This favor had nothing to do with Wen Zuo; it was solely related to Lin Yingniang—or perhaps not even her, but rather the face she wore.

The soul-summoning trick of the Dragon River Fire Ritual merely conjured a vague silhouette, yet Emperor Shunyuan instantly recognized it was not Imperial Consort Chen.

Wen Zuo had only heard from his teacher that Lin Yingniang had been abandoned since childhood; her parents fled with her younger brother to escape pirate raids, after which they vanished.

These fragmented clues gradually connected in his mind, pointing toward a possibility he dared not dwell upon.

Just then, the Duchess suddenly seemed to recall something and hesitantly spoke, "This old woman has heard a bit of baseless gossip, though I am uncertain whether it should be mentioned."

She feared it might lead Wen Zuo astray, so her tone was quite cautious.

Wen Zuo immediately looked up at her. "Please speak, Madam."

The Duchess said, "Once, I went with several ladies from the capital to Tanzhe Temple to burn incense and pray. After paying respects to the Buddha, we chatted along the way. The conversation turned to our daughters' marriages. The wife of the Grand Historian sighed repeatedly, saying her eldest daughter was already of age but had yet to find a suitable match. She also remarked how fortunate the daughter of Chief Minister Gong was to have married the young master of a prominent southern family—the current top scholar."

"Since I only bore three sons and couldn't contribute, I listened idly. The wife of Grand Tutor Liu, a descendant of the Langya Wang clan, was exceptionally learned and always held herself in high regard. Hearing this, she smiled and quoted a proverb—'Names are reversed on the vermilion steps and laureate register; pearls are misplaced in the purple chambers.'"

Wen Zuo's knuckles turned pale, the white stone pressed so tightly in his palm that it dug painfully into his bones.

"...Are you certain, Madam?"

He did not mean to offend, but he simply could not believe that the palace examination in the sixteenth year of Shunyuan concealed such a secret!

The Duchess slowly shook her head. "Though I dared not dwell on it then, those words remained fresh in my memory. To this day, witnessing the Director's talent for turning the tide, I couldn't help but recall them. Perhaps Grand Tutor Liu's wife had already revealed the reason long ago. Minister Xie, in truth, simply wasn't top scholar material."