Chapter 130

Chapter 130

The news reached the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and Emperor Shunyuan trembled with rage, his breath catching in his throat. He struck the arm of the dragon throne and barked an order for Shen Chen and Concubine Yi to be brought before him.

The talismans and wooden swords from the altar outside the palace, along with the bronze basin containing hair and clothing from within, were also presented.

Emperor Shunyuan glanced over these sinister items and rebuked, "Dabbling in such wicked, unorthodox methods to secretly harm the Heir Apparent—what do you and your son have to say for yourselves?"

Concubine Yi was terrified out of her wits. She scrambled on her hands and knees to Emperor Shunyuan's feet, clutching his legs tightly as she wailed, "Your Majesty! I am innocent! The Crown Prince is perfectly fine and unharmed. You cannot convict me based solely on her one-sided story!"

Jun Mulan stepped forward, seething with hatred. "If I hadn't discovered it in time, you would have already succeeded! How dare you still make excuses!"

Concubine Yi immediately turned her head, shooting Jun Mulan a resentful, wounded look. Then, she raised her hands, covered in fine scars, and showed them to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, look! These past days, I have been sewing shoes for her and making court robes for the Crown Prince every day. My hands are raw from the work. I only wished to sincerely make amends. Why won't she trust me!"

"You merely used the opportunity of closeness to steal the Crown Prince's clothing and hair, colluding with that sorcerer, both inside and outside the palace!" Jun Mulan mercilessly exposed her.

Shen Zheng stood to the side, his expression calm. "When the Capital Garrison broke up the altar, the sorcerer had already fled in panic. I have ordered a city-wide search. Once the sorcerer is captured, the truth will come to light."

Concubine Yi's face instantly turned deathly pale; she was about to collapse.

But Shen Chen suddenly kowtowed heavily, his forehead thumping loudly against the floor. His face flushed red as he argued, "Father! I confess! Mother was indeed performing talismanic rituals, but she absolutely was not trying to harm the Crown Prince!"

Concubine Yi was stunned, looking at Shen Chen in disbelief.

Then, they heard Shen Chen continue his defense: "Mother has a distant cousin in Southern Prefecture. That cousin has a daughter, of marriageable age. She is obsessed with chess. Ever since she saw the techniques of the Meng School, she has admired the Crown Prince and longed to attend him. Although the Crown Prince has not yet married, how could the daughter of a mere wealthy Southern Prefecture family hope to marry the Crown Prince? So, she begged Mother for help."

Shen Chen paused; a complete story had already formed in his mind. "Mother was merely acting out of selfishness, fearing that after the Crown Prince assumes the throne in the future, he would treat us, mother and son, coldly. She wanted to use a marriage alliance to seek some security. Seeing that the Crown Prince remained unmoved even by a beautiful foreign woman like Ming Zhu, she panicked and sought a dubious remedy. She took the Crown Prince's clothing and hair to burn together with that girl's, hoping only to bring about a marriage."

"Mother is foolish and ignorant, but she also hoped her niece could have a good future, hoped the Crown Prince could have a devoted person to care for him amidst his busy schedule, hoped our mother and son could have peace in the future... I beg Father to show mercy and forgive Mother this once!"

Concubine Yi, as if waking from a dream, hurriedly kowtowed in agreement. "Yes! Your Majesty, that is exactly what I thought! The clothing hadn't even been burned when she discovered it. Nothing has actually happened! I beg Your Majesty for leniency!"

Listening to this ridiculous, hole-ridden lie, Shen Zheng actually laughed.

What kind of person was Shen Chen?

He possessed no great intelligence, only constant petty cleverness. Like a shameless local thug, he couldn't stir up major trouble but could irritate people from time to time.

Shen Zheng knew perfectly well that Shen Chen, while seemingly trying to weasel out of blame, actually wanted to plant the idea in Emperor Shunyuan's mind to select a consort for him, attempting to drive a wedge between him and Wen Zuo.

Once, Shen Chen didn't believe Wen Zuo could turn the tide and determine the heir. Now, he believed more than anyone that removing Wen Zuo would allow the heir position to return to him.

Shen Zheng's tone was calm. "Father, regardless of whether Sixth Brother's story is true or false, this act alone is already a heinous crime."

"If they dare use sorcery today to manipulate your son's marriage, how can we be sure they haven't used sorcery in the past to manipulate Your Majesty's will?" Shen Zheng raised his eyes, his gaze heavy as he looked at Emperor Shunyuan. "I ask you to think back, Your Majesty. Over the years, have there been instances where clothing or hair went missing inexplicably?"

At these words, Emperor Shunyuan jolted, his expression drastically changing.

An emperor most feared having his mind controlled and his decisions manipulated by sorcery. Even if such matters were mysterious and seemingly fantastical, they could not be taken lightly.

Shen Chen hurriedly kowtowed, his voice hoarse as he argued, "I harbor no such intention! Why must the Crown Prince exaggerate out of thin air and pin such a grave crime on me!"

Shen Zheng glanced down at him, his voice cold and heavy. "In your eyes, privately setting up an altar and attempting to manipulate the Heir Apparent is merely an insignificant trifle? This shows you are already incorrigibly stubborn!"

Cold sweat poured down Shen Chen's forehead. He knew he had lifted a stone only to drop it on his own foot, but he still struggled desperately. "Crown Prince, do not twist my meaning! Mother only sought a marriage match; she never had the slightest intention of harming the Crown Prince. Talismanic rituals are a matter of belief—if you believe, they exist; if you don't, they don't. Why must the Crown Prince press so aggressively!"

"Silence!" Emperor Shunyuan was furious, smoke practically coming from his seven orifices. "You blindly trusted a sorcerer and plotted against the Heir Apparent, yet you still dare claim innocence!"

Emperor Shunyuan had also sought out Daoist immortals in his early years. He deeply understood the sinister and treacherous nature of folk sorcery and was even clearer that before imperial power, flesh-and-blood kinship was as thin as paper. Shen Chen was absolutely not that innocent.

"Guards! Strip Concubine Yi of her rank, reduce her to a commoner, and imprison her in the Cold Palace, never to leave the palace for life! Shen Chen, disrespectful of his sovereign and harboring sinister intentions, is to be confined again to the rear chambers for three months to reflect on his faults, to serve as a warning!"

"Your Majesty! I know my wrongs! I beg Your Majesty for mercy, do not abandon me!" Concubine Yi sobbed uncontrollably, lunging frantically toward Emperor Shunyuan, only to be firmly seized by the arms by two young eunuchs.

Her desperate cries gradually faded away between the thick palace walls.

Shen Chen stood frozen in place, his eyes filled with panic.

Now, without Gong Jinjin to manage things in the rear palace, without Gong Zhiyuan and Xie Langyang mediating in the front court, alone and entering the rear chambers again, with no one to care for him, no one to smooth things over, his situation would only be a hundred times more miserable than last time.

He shuffled forward on his knees, desperately clutching the hem of Emperor Shunyuan's robe, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "Father! I do not wish to enter the rear chambers again! I truly did not harm the Crown Prince! I beg Father to investigate clearly!"

"Do you want to go directly to the Phoenix Sun Terrace and wait for death?!" Emperor Shunyuan said harshly.

Shen Chen's whole body shook violently, collapsing to the ground. His lips trembled, but he dared not utter another word.

After Shen Chen was taken away by the guards, Emperor Shunyuan's fury had not yet dissipated. Suddenly, he felt a churning in his chest. Overcome by rage and frustration, he could no longer suppress it. He abruptly turned his head and coughed up a mouthful of bloody froth that splattered onto his dragon robe.

The hall instantly descended into chaos. Palace maids and eunuchs scrambled helplessly. Some hurried forward to support him and help him catch his breath, some knelt to offer water, others lightly pounded his back and massaged his chest, surrounding the emperor who had slumped against the bed's headboard.

Shortly after, the imperial physician rushed over, sweating profusely. Not stopping to bow, he immediately took out silver needles to help Emperor Shunyuan stabilize his breathing.

The small kitchen worked through the night to brew the strongest warming tonic, mixed with slices of old mountain ginseng. They pried the emperor's jaws open and forcibly poured it down.

After a night of chaos and turmoil, as dawn approached, Emperor Shunyuan was finally pulled back from the brink of death, slowly opening his eyes.

This brush with death, however, made Emperor Shunyuan see reality clearly.

No matter how unwilling he was to admit it, his body was already like a lamp running out of oil; his days were numbered.

An emperor's pride was utterly vulnerable before life and death. Lying on the dragon bed, gazing at the patterns on the canopy, he couldn't help but recall one sentence from Shen Chen's words—

"The Crown Prince remained unmoved even by a beautiful foreign woman like Ming Zhu."

To ensure the future stability of the realm, keeping maternal relatives in check, and a secure inner court, he must settle on a suitable marriage for Shen Zheng.

Suitable, not necessarily agreeable.

Only now, at this moment, did he finally understand the deep consideration of Emperor Kangzhen back then.

Liu Shi had a prickly, sharp-tongued temperament, annoying him for a lifetime. Yet, the Liu family, at the beginning of his reign, had performed meritorious service in stabilizing the court and balancing the powerful nobles.

Imperial marriages had never been about love; they were only about political calculation.

With his mind made up, Emperor Shunyuan first, with his weakened body, ordered a eunuch to inquire about the whereabouts of the Tatar girl Ming Zhu, wanting to see if she had been settled in the Eastern Palace to attend to the Crown Prince's daily life.

The eunuch reported back that Ming Zhu had indeed been assigned by Consort Liang to train horses in the Southern Park, where she was thriving, even earning praise from the Imperial Guards.

Emperor Shunyuan: "..."

He remained silent for a long time. Shen Zheng was already twenty-one this year. For the Crown Prince, a man of his stature, to not have a single concubine by his side was truly unacceptable.

"Liu Quan," Emperor Shunyuan called hoarsely.

"Your servant is here."

"Go and draft a list. Include all eligible daughters, aged thirteen to eighteen, from families of officials of the fifth rank and above in the capital. They must have clean backgrounds and no blemishes on their record." Emperor Shunyuan paused, then added, "Focus on their fathers' and brothers' official positions and their family standing. There's no need to be overly strict about looks and talents."

Liu Quan took his meaning immediately and hurriedly bowed before retreating, dispatching people overnight to compile a thorough background check.

Within a single day, a list containing the names and family backgrounds of over thirty young women was presented.

He eliminated those whose families were too powerful—lest they become future liabilities—and also crossed out those with shallow roots who offered little support. In the end, he circled five names.

“Take these five names to Jingren Palace and let Consort Liang have a look. Ask for her opinion,” Emperor Shunyuan said, handing the list back to Liu Quan.

Not long after, Liu Quan returned with Jun Mulan’s reply.

“Her Ladyship remarked that Your Majesty has a discerning eye, and the chosen ones are surely exceptional young women—one in a hundred. She has no objections. However, Her Ladyship also mentioned that the Crown Prince has grown up accustomed to the rigid rules and constraints of the palace. She hopes that for a marriage to last, both parties should be willing and harmonious, and that no one should be forced. As for His Highness’s preferences, he appreciates those with peerless beauty and extraordinary talent. The person need not be gentle and submissive; those with strong character and exceptional temperament are actually the better choice.”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Shunyuan paused briefly.

He caught the subtext in Jun Mulan’s words. She was resentful that he had forced her into the harem years earlier to counterbalance the Marquis of Yongning, thereby ruining the free life she should have led.

A flicker of guilt passed through his heart. Emperor Shunyuan closed his eyes. “Understood. First, summon Gu Weizhi to see me.”

Gu Weizhi’s niece—the daughter of the Vice-Prefect of Bozhou—was known for her integrity and uprightness. Her family background was modest, yet she enjoyed the Crown Prince’s complete trust, which was reassuring.

Upon receiving the imperial decree, Gu Weizhi hurried into the palace. Faced with Emperor Shunyuan’s gentle inquiry, his expression turned solemn. “Your Majesty’s great kindness fills me with gratitude. However, my niece was betrothed three years ago to a water conservancy official in Qianzhou. Both families agreed, and the children grew up together, having long pledged their lives to each other. The Crown Prince is a dragon among men, while my niece is but a humble willow. She is truly unworthy—and dares not break her promise, tarnishing the Eastern Palace’s pristine reputation.”

Emperor Shunyuan frowned. Though a water conservancy official held no high rank, such officials were practical and competent. A marriage between the two families was perfectly reasonable. This was truly disappointing.

He could only wave his hand. “Forget it. Since there is a prior engagement, we shall not insist.”

Next, he summoned Xue Chongnian, who wore an even more pained expression, shaking his head repeatedly. “Your Majesty, you don’t know. My little cousin is stubborn and single-minded, devoted only to the classics of sages and worthies. Half a year ago, she met a poor scholar who earned his *jinshi* degree. They are deeply in love, and my cousin insists on marrying no one else. My elder brother and his wife, who dote on their daughter, have long tacitly consented to this match. We truly dare not go against our daughter’s wishes and delay His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Unwilling to give up, Emperor Shunyuan successively summoned the Minister of War and a frontier commander.

“Your Majesty, my daughter has a wild temperament, spending her days practicing martial arts and wielding weapons, lacking any semblance of a refined young lady from a good family. Moreover, her heart already belongs to another. She is unfit to be the Crown Princess.”

“Your Majesty, my daughter grew up on the frontier, uncouth and uneducated, only skilled in horsemanship and archery. She is also unwilling to be confined within palace walls. I beg Your Majesty to select another virtuous candidate.”

Not a single one of the five carefully chosen candidates was suitable!

Each reason was impeccably justified: prior engagements, existing affections, incompatible temperaments, a love for freedom. It was as if they were being asked to enter a dragon’s den or a tiger’s lair—not to enjoy the highest honor in the land!

Emperor Shunyuan felt a suffocating tightness in his chest. He flung the list to the ground. “Select another five from the remaining list and send it to Jingren Palace immediately!”

Liu Quan dared not delay. He hastily picked up the list, selected five more names, and sent them over.

Yet Jun Mulan’s reply remained unchanged: “The candidates Your Majesty has chosen are all excellent matches. I have no objections—only asking that no one be forced against their will.”

This time, Emperor Shunyuan summoned several officials from the new list—but the result was the same.

Some claimed their daughters were frail and might struggle with the responsibilities of the Eastern Palace’s mistress. Others said their daughters were already promised—though not yet publicly announced. Some bluntly stated that fortune-tellers had deemed their daughters’ fates unsuitable for entering the palace.

Emperor Shunyuan’s mind buzzed with frustration. “I’m offering them the chance to climb the dragon and phoenix! What is the meaning of this? Is our imperial family some kind of monster?”

The palace attendants were terrified, kneeling and not daring to rise.

After his outburst, Emperor Shunyuan slumped onto the imperial couch and let out a long sigh.

Since the founding of the dynasty, there had never been a case where officials were unwilling to marry their daughters to the Crown Prince. This matter made him feel an underlying sense of strangeness.

His thin fingers rubbed the sleeve of his robe. Suddenly, he spoke. “Great Companion, do you think there is something odd about this?”

Liu Quan stood bowed by the couch. “Your Majesty is benevolent, tolerant, and unwilling to force others—which is why the officials dare to voice their opinions. In my humble view, His Highness the Crown Prince is peerless in grace and talent, virtuous and capable. Why worry about finding a good match? It’s simply that the time isn’t right yet. We need only wait quietly.”

Hearing this tactful reply only increased Emperor Shunyuan’s irritation. “What time do I have left to wait? In the past, when faced with difficulties, I always discussed them with Wanshan. He could always pinpoint the crux of the matter. It’s a pity…”

It was a pity that during the *Evening Mountain Rhapsody* case, he had listened to Gong Zhiyuan’s slander, changed the chief investigator, and permitted the use of torture on those involved—ultimately alienating Wen Zuo.

Since then, although Wen Zuo remained respectful and courteous towards him and had accepted the appointment as one of the Three Masters of the Crown Prince, he was no longer his former lazy, casual self. He no longer playfully wheedled for rewards or acted intimately with him.

“Your Majesty?” Liu Quan called softly, seeing him lost in thought.

Emperor Shunyuan snapped back to reality. “Never mind. Immediately deliver the decree summoning Wen Zuo to the palace to see me.”

“Yes.”

The message traveled all the way to the Wen residence. After a moment’s thought, Wen Zuo said to the eunuch delivering the message, “Please wait a moment, sir. I will change into my official robes and accompany you into the palace.”

“Thank you, Hanlin Academy Director.”

Wen Zuo returned to the bedroom. The person on the bed had already reached out, waiting. He leaned down, and his waist was firmly encircled by Shen Zheng’s arms.

“I suspect His Majesty is summoning you regarding the matter of the Crown Princess,” Shen Zheng said, his tone teasing.

Wen Zuo turned his face, his eyes sparkling as he raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it because Your Highness has threatened all court officials?”

Shen Zheng looked utterly unapologetic, his fingers stroking Wen Zuo’s side. “Indeed, I’ve threatened all court officials—except for my teacher.”

A smile curled at the corner of Wen Zuo’s lips, his affectionate eyes curving like crescent moons. “Then why doesn’t Your Highness threaten me? Tell me not to advise His Majesty—not to help select a suitable and proper Crown Princess for you.”

Shen Zheng lowered his head to capture Wen Zuo’s lips, kissing him deeply for a moment before laughing. “I’ve already chosen my Crown Princess. Not only chosen—but we’ve already pledged ourselves to each other in private. He even bears my marks on his body now. Teacher, if you have a way, have Father prepare the betrothal gifts for me as soon as possible.”

“Oh? Which family’s Crown Princess is so unconventional, allowing you to leave marks on him before the wedding?” Wen Zuo narrowed his eyes slightly—thoroughly kissed and satisfied.

“I proposed properly, and he agreed with his own words,” Shen Zheng said, pulling Wen Zuo to sit on his lap, his fingers gently loosening the ties of Wen Zuo’s everyday robe.

Wen Zuo’s robe gradually loosened, his breath growing slightly hurried as he murmured a few words. “Shameless.”

“Who is shameless? Me or him?” Shen Zheng pressed his forehead against Wen Zuo’s, his tone ambiguous.

“Both,” Wen Zuo breathed, his gaze like autumn water fixed on Shen Zheng.

“You can say that about me, but not about him,” Shen Zheng said with a doting smile. “He often pretends not to care about reputation—but in truth, he values it more than anyone.”

Wen Zuo’s neck stiffened instantly, frowning in rebuttal. “When have I ever?”

“Teacher is like clear wind and bright moon—his realm profound, naturally unconcerned,” Shen Zheng smoothly agreed, then changed tack. “I was talking about my sweet-toothed, proud, often contradictory, sensitive, and stubborn Crown Princess.”

The tips of Wen Zuo’s ears grew slightly warm. He stood up, shaking open his loose robe, and turned towards the official robe hanging on the clothes rack. “Your Highness’s words are unfair. This teacher will not argue with you.”

“When you return tonight, shall we have savory or sweet douhua?” Shen Zheng asked from behind him.

Wen Zuo efficiently wrapped himself in the official robe, fastened the jade belt, and as he walked out the door, lightly tossed back a sentence. “Naturally, sweet.”

Arriving at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Wen Zuo adopted a serious and proper expression, lifted his robe, and knelt in greeting. “Your subject, Wen Zuo, pays his respects to Your Majesty.”

Emperor Shunyuan raised a hand, and a young eunuch beside him immediately brought over a low stool.

“Rise and take a seat. I have an important matter to discuss with you.”

Wen Zuo straightened his official robes, sat down properly, and leaned forward slightly, assuming a posture of attentive listening. “Please speak, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Shunyuan’s gaze swept over his distant, polite movements, and a wave of bitterness rose in his heart.

Suppressing the melancholy in his heart, he pretended not to notice and cleared his throat to get to the point. “The Crown Prince is already past his capping ceremony. In the past, while he was at Nanping, I neglected him considerably. Now that the situation is gradually stabilizing, it is time to select a Crown Princess for him. In your opinion, which family’s daughter would be most appropriate?”

After speaking, Emperor Shunyuan fixed his gaze intently on Wen Zuo’s eyes and brows, watching his reaction closely.

The blood-written letter from Xie Langyang still haunted him.

Wen Zuo remained composed. Just as Liu Quan brought over a cup of Songluo Tea, he received it with both hands, gently placed it on the small table beside him, and after a moment of contemplation, said, “In principle, as an official outside the imperial household, I should not overstep by discussing the Eastern Palace’s marriage affairs. However, as the Crown Prince’s tutor, I may, out of both duty and sentiment, offer my two cents.”

“No need for formalities. Speak freely.”

Wen Zuo replied unhurriedly, “What Your Majesty has in mind is likely this: the candidate’s family background should not be too powerful, nor too humble; her appearance need not be breathtakingly beautiful, yet not unremarkable; her temperament should not be too strong-willed, nor too much of a pushover; her talents need not be extraordinary, yet she must not be ignorant or mediocre.”

Emperor Shunyuan felt as though these words had read his mind, and his chest suddenly felt lighter. “Exactly!”

Wen Zuo nodded. “Your Majesty is still spooked by the past dominance of the Cao family and Liu Shi’s maternal relatives, and thus wishes to select someone entirely beneficial to the Crown Prince yet posing no threat whatsoever. However, Your Majesty expects her to remain obedient and restrained while strictly controlling her relatives—asking the horse to run without feeding it carrots. Naturally, officials are reluctant to send their daughters into such a raw deal.”

Emperor Shunyuan fell silent.

He rubbed his temples, still doubtful. “Even so, this seems overly strained. Among all the officials, is there truly no one willing to gamble for the glorified title of Empress Mother?”

Wen Zuo rested his hands lightly on his knees, his expression frank. “That, I cannot know.”

Emperor Shunyuan changed tack, his gaze probing. “Has the Crown Prince ever mentioned to you any interest in a particular young lady from a noble family?”

“I do not know,” Wen Zuo shook his head, his boot tip scuffing the floor, clearing a small, fan-shaped patch.

“I’ve heard the Crown Prince favors those with stunning looks and brilliant minds.”

Wen Zuo carefully adjusted the edges of his robe. “That is only natural.”

Wen Zuo fiddled with the small folding fan at his waist. “…I do not know.”

“He also favors those with strong principles and a remarkable personality!” Emperor Shunyuan grew more anxious as he spoke and finally lay back on the imperial couch. “I want him to find a Crown Princess, not a Chief Grand Secretary!”

Wen Zuo lowered his gaze, maintaining a posture of quiet contemplation. “His Highness is wholly devoted to the state, diligent and responsible.”

“I think he is too diligent—his mind and eyes are filled with state affairs, completely neglecting his personal life, to the point where he has no thoughts left for his own household!”

Wen Zuo’s palm, through his official robe, gently pressed against his inner thigh.

This spot had been kissed and bitten repeatedly by Shen Zheng, leaving marks that took days to fade. He had plenty of thoughts on the matter.

“Your Majesty speaks wisely.”

“Wanshan, you have always been quick-witted and eloquent. Why are you at a loss today, fresh out of ideas?” Emperor Shunyuan’s tone carried clear disappointment.