Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Consort Ning's frenzied screams threw the area into chaos. Qi Hanzhou shielded Ying Fusheng as they retreated, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the calm beneath her frantic disguise. He observed her madness with detachment; rather than fear like the others, he seemed to watch her walk step by step into the abyss.

At that moment, Ying Fusheng looked up. His lips were pale, and the glance he cast held a chilling edge. He placed his hand lightly on Qi Hanzhou's arm, then walked past him and approached Consort Ning.

In the warm pavilion, several palace attendants held Consort Ning down, subduing her struggles.

Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were bloodshot.

"Madwoman..."

At the word "madwoman," Consort Ning seemed to snap out of her frenzy. Those holding her had great strength; she looked up dazedly at the surroundings, and everyone looked at her as though she were a madwoman.

She had become a madwoman in others' eyes?!

Who is the madwoman? I'm not mad! It's that evil spirit that crawled out of the water!

In her panic, Consort Ning realized she had fallen into a trap and immediately tried to calm down to defend herself: "I am not mad, believe me, I am not mad..."

At this moment, a voice came from the side: "Mother..."

Everyone was focused on Consort Ning's condition, when the Sixth Prince unexpectedly broke free from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and rushed directly to Consort Ning's side.

"Your Highness!"

Ying Fusheng approached Consort Ning and met her eyes, which had abruptly gone calm. He knelt on one knee, gently taking her hand. "None of this is real, is it? You love your child..."

Consort Ning suddenly looked at him, the bloodshot in her eyes intensified. Those words pierced deep into her heart. She looked at Ying Fusheng's hand, as if his fingertips were digging into the back of her hand, an eerie coldness rising.

"Get off me! Go away!" She was instantly provoked and flung Ying Fusheng's hand away.

Ying Fusheng fell to the ground, and the guards nearby immediately rushed over, separating the Sixth Prince from Consort Ning.

The Sixth Prince looked confused after being pushed away by Consort Ning, as if he hadn't realized why he was being pushed away.

Qi Hanzhou stepped forward, his gaze pausing briefly. When accused of being an evil spirit, Ying Fusheng's expression was as calm as a still pond.

He seemed to have anticipated this reaction from Consort Ning, as if he had known it long ago.

Qi Hanzhou cast his eyes down, glancing at Ying Fusheng, shielding him from the surrounding stares.

Lady Yu, who served the Empress Dowager, hurried over and pulled Ying Fusheng back a bit, occasionally soothing him.

Consort Ning kept muttering about evil spirits, looking at Ying Fusheng with eyes full of disgust and fear.

"Consort Ning!"

Consort Ning jerked back in terror, turning to see the gazes of those around her.

The Emperor looked at her with disgust. Beside him, Empress Xu's gaze was cold, and the Empress Dowager's face was livid with rage. Even Bi Zhu, who had always been by her side, now looked at her with panic and fear.

"I'm not mad! That is an evil spirit, that is not Ying Fusheng! That's the look he gave me after he fell into the water!" Consort Ning rambled incoherently. "He wants to harm me, he wants to harm me!"

Others looked at the Sixth Prince. The Sixth Prince still wanted to shake off Lady Yu and approach. When the incident at Wangyue Pavilion happened, the Sixth Prince braved his illness to plead for Consort Ning. Later when Consort Ning was confined, the Sixth Prince, still not fully recovered, ran from Cining Palace to Weiyang Palace to fulfill his filial duty... Consort Ning saw such actions as harmful?

No amount of excuses could compare to the madness she displayed.

No one cared about her; her behavior now had made her appear a madwoman in everyone's eyes.

"Consort Ning's condition... may have persisted for many years." Chu Taiyi had earlier examined her pulse; there were signs of pent-up frustration and fire attacking the heart. But Consort Ning's usual disposition was gentle, not like this. Such opposite behavior made stagnant qi attacking the heart hard to explain, so he suspected an external cause. "It may be hysteria."

Hysteria? What hysteria?

"Medical texts record that a woman during pregnancy, due to excessive suffering and inadequate care, develops pent-up frustration, and then..." The imperial physician hesitated.

The Emperor asked: "And then what?"

"Then she develops aversion to her own child, and over time develops the intention to harm her child. When this symptom occurs, she relieves her emotions by causing harm, sometimes improving, sometimes worsening." Chu Taiyi looked at Consort Ning. Her condition seemed not sudden but long-standing. "If it is truly hysteria, Consort Ning's harmful actions toward the Sixth Prince may have lasted several years."

Several years?

The people around fell silent. Without needing Consort Ning to defend herself, everyone suddenly recalled that since last year, Consort Ning's strange behaviors seemed to have started after the Sixth Prince was taken to Cining Palace. If Consort Ning truly had hysteria, then persecuting the prince for years had become her outlet. Once the Sixth Prince was not in front of her, what would Consort Ning do? Who would shout "evil spirit" at their own child in public?

Ying Fusheng stood protected by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. His complexion was unusually pale. When he heard the imperial physician's diagnosis, he swayed slightly. In the distance, Consort Ning did not look at him at all; instead, she desperately tried to convince those around her that she was not mad. He watched her flustered appearance, saw how incoherent her reasoning became as she defended herself. The more she failed to express herself clearly, the more she insisted she was not mad, and in the eyes of everyone present, the more mad she appeared.

Which madman would admit to being mad?

The Emperor looked coldly at Consort Ning. His gaze took in her disheveled appearance. At this moment, Consort Ning had none of the dignity of a harem consort; everyone could see her frantic defense and panic-stricken appearance.

"Harming your own child? Do you hear what you're saying!" The Emperor roared angrily.

Consort Ning was instantly struck dumb. She stared straight at the Crown Prince, Empress Xu's biological son, behind her. The Crown Prince looked at her with disgust and avoidance.

Her heart felt as if it were being stabbed. How could she prove she was not mad? Could she tell everyone that the Sixth Prince was not her biological son? How was that possible? If this matter were exposed, her ending would be worse than just being mad... From the moment Suihongzi was exposed, she found she could no longer defend herself.

"Guards, take Consort Ning away!" The Emperor looked at the palace attendants. "Thoroughly investigate all the palace maids of Weiyang Palace and find out the origin of this Suihongzi!"

Consort Ning struggled, and in her panic, she saw Ying Fusheng.

Ying Fusheng stood there quietly. He seemed frightened, yet still wanted to approach her. He murmured, "Mother, what the imperial physician said is not true..."

Everyone cast sympathetic glances at this prince who was being harmed by his mother. But Consort Ning saw mockery in his calm eyes. The evil spirit that crawled out of the winter night seemed to mock her: You can only become mad. She screamed, "It's you! It's you!"

He knows! What does he know!

This thought flashed through Consort Ning's mind!

But before she could do anything, she was dragged away by the palace attendants.

"Poor child..." "Consort Ning is actually such a person, how could she be so heartless?" "Harming her own child, the Sixth Prince's illness all these years, it was all done by Sister Ning?"

The surrounding palace attendants whispered among themselves. The imperial physicians gathered to check on Ying Fusheng's condition. Qi Hanzhou stepped back. Ying Fusheng, beside him, recovered from the shock and gazed after Consort Ning.

Everyone saw Consort Ning's frenzied state and was still shaken.

Ying Fusheng wanted to follow, but a hand stopped him.

The Emperor said nothing but pulled Ying Fusheng close in a comforting gesture.

The Emperor said coldly, "Qi Hanzhou, find out for me! Why are there items from the previous dynasty in the palace?"

Qi Hanzhou glanced slightly at Ying Fusheng, then said, "This servant obeys the command."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard received the imperial order. The surrounding murmurs abruptly ceased after the Emperor's action. Ying Fusheng lowered his eyes and coldly watched Consort Ning being dragged away; the filial devotion he had shown earlier had vanished. Those around only thought he was frightened senseless by Consort Ning's behavior. The imperial physicians hurried to take his pulse. When the Empress Dowager saw that the child had not yet rested since falling into the water, she said, "Lady Yu."

Inside the warm pavilion, the Empress Dowager ordered Lady Yu to take the Sixth Prince to rest. The Emperor's carriage departed for Cining Palace. Seeing Consort Ning taken away, the other palace consorts could only disperse. Consort Yun watched thoughtfully as Ying Fusheng was led away by the imperial physicians and Cining Palace attendants, then shifted her gaze to Empress Xu beside her. Empress Xu's expression remained unreadable, but Consort Yun knew that this sudden onset of hysteria in Consort Ning was beyond their expectations.

Empress Xu instructed the palace attendants behind her to follow the Embroidered Uniform Guard and make sure to clarify the whole situation in Weiyang Palace. The appearance of Suihongzi in the harem was already an anomaly. As she gave orders, a flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes. In the distance, the maids from Weiyang Palace had already been taken away. "Keep an eye on Consort Ning's personal maids, a few in particular."

The palace attendants accepted the order and departed. Empress Xu took a few steps back and suddenly noticed the Crown Prince standing still, his gaze fixed on the direction Consort Ning had been taken, his complexion slightly pale.

"My son?" Empress Xu pulled the frightened Eighth Prince closer, casting a worried look at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince snapped back to reality and met Empress Xu's concerned gaze. He forced a smile. "...It's nothing. I just didn't expect Consort Ning to be this kind of person. Did she really poison the Sixth Prince like this?"

As he finished speaking, he froze, for, for the first time, Empress Xu's gaze turned somewhat cold.

The Crown Prince seemed startled by what he saw in her eyes. Empress Xu, noticing her own expression, gently patted the Crown Prince's shoulder in reassurance. "Don't be afraid. Your mother will protect you."

The Crown Prince nodded in agreement, but his hands hidden in his sleeves were ice-cold.

-*

That day, the warm pavilion in the Imperial Garden was in chaos. The Emperor, in a rage, ordered Consort Ning taken away and the Imperial Guard to investigate. Traces of Suihongzi were found in the medications sent from Weiyang Palace to Cining Palace for the Sixth Prince's convalescence. Consort Ning's various odd behaviors since last year seemed to be explained: it was a bout of hysteria, and with the Sixth Prince no longer by her side, her actions grew increasingly extreme. Consequently, the imperial physicians diagnosed her with hysteria.

The harem had never seen such a thing—a birth mother who had long since gone mad poisoning her own child.

How could such actions have gone unnoticed? If Consort Ning hadn't lost her composure today, how much longer would the Sixth Prince have suffered under her?

Weiyang Palace was sealed off. All the involved eunuchs and maids were taken away. The Imperial Guard interrogated them harshly. Some palace attendants, unable to withstand the pressure, confessed details on the spot. These attendants had often received favors from Consort Ning and had treated the gloomy, solitary Sixth Prince with indifference. Under severe torture, they revealed everything: their neglect of the Sixth Prince, Consort Ning's daily disregard for him, and her neglect during his illnesses. These details did not match her previous behavior at all.

When the confessions were presented to the Qianqing Palace, the Emperor was furious. Consort Ning had neglected the prince's upbringing and even harmed him during his illness—this was no minor offense. She was confined to the palace courtyard pending judgment.

The matter of Suihongzi involved too many secrets. The Emperor entrusted the investigation to the Imperial Guard, while Empress Xu was tasked with a thorough inspection of the entire harem.

Cining Palace had been unusually busy these past few days.

A copy of the confessions from Weiyang Palace's attendants was also presented to the Empress Dowager. After reading it, she remained silent for a long time. She knew Consort Ning was incapable of raising a child and had seen her temperament that day, but Xiao Liu was still attached to her. Before the spring outing in the Imperial Garden, she had considered letting Xiao Liu return to Weiyang Palace for a short stay, to see how Consort Ning would behave. Now, upon reflection, if she had let Xiao Liu go back, it was uncertain whether the child would even survive to adulthood. "Let the imperial physicians attend to him. I will go and speak with the Emperor."

Because of this incident, the imperial physicians came and went repeatedly to examine the Sixth Prince's health. The purple line that appeared in his medicinal decoction that day horrified the physicians. Once they confirmed it was Suihongzi, Imperial Physician Chu used ancient prescriptions to examine the Sixth Prince's body.

The poison of Suihongzi had been in the Sixth Prince's body for years, deeply rooted and chronic. Eradicating it now would be extremely difficult; it could only be gradually alleviated and purged over time.

This matter could not be concealed. When news reached the court, the entire court was shocked. Vice Minister Ning was so frightened that he sought an audience with the Emperor that very day, but he was thrown out before even reaching the Qianqing Palace.

The Emperor did not wish to see the Ning family. Even if the perpetrator was the prince's birth mother, harming a member of the imperial bloodline was unforgivable. The Ning family had recently risen to a high position. Not long ago, courtiers had speculated that Vice Minister Ning would be the next Minister of Rites. But before the current Minister of Rites had stepped down, the Ning family found itself embroiled in a major scandal.

Vice Minister Ning had been riding high in the court and country these days, but now many regarded him as an enemy. Moreover, the Ministry of Rites was mired in a mess. With Consort Ning's downfall, some secretly submitted memorials accusing Vice Minister Ning. A blatant target had been set. Leaving aside the Sixth Prince's matter for now, many were eager to kick Vice Minister Ning while he was down. At the same time, many were watching the Emperor's stance.

"How could she do such a thing out of the blue?" Vice Minister Ning could not comprehend. This was no trivial matter. The entire Ning family could be dragged down by Consort Ning!

Previously, messengers had reported that Consort Ning's state was off. Vice Minister Ning had thought that his daughter, who had endured for so many years, would not make a mistake at such a critical moment. But then a major incident occurred. He knew his daughter had been drugging the Sixth Prince to control him, but he never expected it to be a forbidden secret recipe from a previous dynasty, administered over a long period.

"Master, what should we do now?" his subordinate asked. "None of the attendants from Weiyang Palace have been left. We cannot contact anyone in the palace."

Vice Minister Ning had not anticipated such a good move would be botched. He knew Consort Ning was beyond saving, but he had to find a way to protect the Ning family. The key now lay with the Sixth Prince: "Send a message into the palace. I want to meet the Sixth Prince."

The Emperor had not yet publicly punished Consort Ning, likely out of consideration for the Sixth Prince.

After all, Consort Ning was the Sixth Prince's birth mother. The Sixth Prince was old enough to understand. If he were still a child, the Emperor would have no qualms about dealing harshly with Consort Ning. But given that the Sixth Prince was present, and having heard with his own ears the story of his mother's cruelty, anyone would find it hard to accept—especially the Sixth Prince himself.

"If you cannot arrange a meeting, at least make sure a letter gets through."

...

In Cining Palace, the air was thick with the scent of medicines. Imperial physicians came and went.

Since returning that day, Ying Fusheng had not left his chambers. The Empress Dowager had ordered constant attention on the Sixth Prince's condition. Lady Yu stayed in the side hall every day, entrusted by the Empress Dowager to care for him.

The Sixth Prince was very obedient, taking the prescribed medicines as usual. Apart from being quieter than before, he seemed no different from normal. After returning from the warm pavilion that day, the Sixth Prince had slept for two days before waking. Part of it was due to catching a chill, but the other part might have been because of Consort Ning's affair.

When he woke, the Sixth Prince asked about Consort Ning and expressed a desire to see her.

Lady Yu reported the more favorable aspects of Consort Ning's condition. The woman had gone mad, insisting every day that she was not mad. Who would believe her?

Song An watched his lord finish his medicine and sit quietly, in good spirits.

These days, news from Cining Palace did not leak out, but Song An kept the lord informed of external matters: Consort Ning's situation, Weiyang Palace's affairs, and even developments in the court. When he learned the news, Shen Yunfei almost rushed to Cining Palace to pay respects, but Song An timely stopped him. Except for Song An, who had known all along, no one else was aware of Consort Ning's harm to the prince.

"The imperial physicians didn't find anything?" Ying Fusheng asked.

Song An had connections with some attendants from Weiyang Palace. A few of them had been saved by Song An and, grateful, often passed messages to him. "Consort Ning keeps insisting she's not mad, but the thorough investigation at Weiyang Palace turned up nothing... Everything points to her hysteria."

Being mad was a good thing. If she weren't mad, she wouldn't be able to witness all this with her own eyes.

Ying Fusheng stirred the medicinal broth before him. After the incident, his daily diet and habits had been carefully scrutinized by Lady Yu. Even the calming incense in his chambers had been replaced with a milder medicinal fragrance.

Consort Ning thought the incense was harming her. In fact, it was not entirely false. Consort Ning had some cunning and was patient, so he needed to add fuel to the fire.

Having known this person for years, Ying Fusheng knew how hard it was for her to restrain her temper. To maintain her reputation, she was always kind in public. All the resentment she bottled up was vented either in Weiyang Palace or through the medicine she inflicted on him. To calm her mind, she had long been in the habit of drinking a special tea—a potent concoction prescribed by external physicians, a folk remedy meant to stabilize her emotions.

Because she harbored guilt, few knew about this special calming tea.

The calming incense contained an ingredient that clashed with the properties of her tea. It would cause her to dwell on things day and night, manifesting in dreams.

For others, such an effect would be harmless. But Consort Ning had been carrying a heavy burden of resentment for years. When he left Weiyang Palace, when the Crown Prince was punished, when the Crown Prince's faction suffered setbacks—these events would make this guilty woman brood excessively. The more she tried to calm herself, the more she drank the tea, and the more her obsessions amplified.

Repeated mistakes in front of others, the clashing properties of the medicines—they had already begun to affect her behavior. All that was needed was a push.

No great effort was required. Once the spark was lit, it would naturally set everything ablaze.

"Consort Ning is trying to explain herself. There have been some rumors recently..." Song An said cautiously. Ever since Consort Ning was diagnosed with hysteria, unfavorable rumors about her had proliferated. Some claimed she had always neglected the Sixth Prince, that she went flower-viewing while the Sixth Prince was ill... The rumors, a mix of truth and falsehood, sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain.

Ying Fusheng smiled after hearing this. "So the Ning family must be a target."

If the Ning family had not been so dominant, the other concubines in the harem would not have paid her much attention. Earlier, some concubines had been displeased that the Sixth Prince was staying in Cining Palace. Now that Consort Ning had fallen, they would not miss the opportunity.

The Ministry of Rites was a lucrative position. The Eldest Prince's faction was worried about finding a replacement for the Minister. The Crown Prince's faction was eager to install their own people... With other forces in the court vying for the chance to trample the Ning family underfoot, some would act even faster.

Letting Consort Ning die easily would not be satisfying. Let her remain lucid enough to acknowledge her madness... When everyone said she was mad, who would remember her sanity?

"Don't rush. We'll deal with them one by one." Ying Fusheng set down the medicine spoon. "My dear maternal grandfather should be making his move by now."

Song An paused. "Does Your Highness mean Vice Minister Ning?"

Ying Fusheng spoke slowly, "He's been enjoying his high position. The Ministry of Rites post, almost within reach, is about to slip away. What do you suppose he will do?"

Just then, a palace attendant came to report: "Your Highness, a medical apprentice from the Imperial Hospital has arrived."

Recently, imperial physicians had been coming frequently, often accompanied by apprentices.

Ying Fusheng nodded. Song An immediately went to see what it was about.

The medical apprentice was unfamiliar. He pulled Song An aside and discreetly handed him a letter. "I was entrusted by Lord Ning to deliver a family letter."

Song An’s expression shifted. Just as his lord had predicted. He turned to look back. Ying Fusheng remained seated, expression unchanged. He glanced in their direction and understood without needing words.

Vice Minister Ning wanted to enter the palace, but no one would allow him to. Madam Ning had also sent visiting cards to the Empress Dowager, all intercepted by Cining Palace. The matter of Consort Ning had truly touched the imperial family's taboo.

Vice Minister Ning’s letter, routed through the Imperial Hospital, evading the Empress Dowager's vigilance, had gone through great lengths to finally reach Ying Fusheng’s hands.

The apprentice physician delivered the letter and left. Ying Fusheng skimmed its contents, "It seems he truly can't sit still."

Song An, unaware of the prince's plans, asked, "Then, Your Highness..."

A deep darkness settled in Ying Fusheng's eyes. He sat in silence for a long time, his gaze on the letter carrying a trace of mockery.

He slowed his breathing, seeming to feel a trace of pleasure. The corners of his lips twitched slightly.

...

Inside the Qianqing Palace, memorials concerning the Ministry of Rites and the Ning family were multiplying across the court and the country. Many were watching to see how the emperor would respond. Eunuch Rong entered the hall silently, presenting a copy of the letter to the emperor.

"A letter from the Ning family to the Sixth Prince," Eunuch Rong said.

As soon as the Sixth Prince got into trouble, the Imperial Guard had already arranged surveillance in Cining Palace. A strange apprentice physician appearing there naturally drew the Imperial Guard's attention. By the time the letter reached Ying Fusheng, it had also been placed on the emperor's desk. The emperor scanned its contents: Vice Minister Ning had written at length about Consort Ning's kindness toward Ying Fusheng over the years. The words were cautious, each sentence sincere, yet they never failed to evoke Ying Fusheng's longing for his mother.

For a young prince, the intent behind such a guiding letter was clear to the emperor at a glance.

After reading, the emperor let out a cold chuckle. "How thoughtful of him."

Sensing the sovereign's displeasure, Eunuch Rong murmured, "The Sixth Prince, after reading this letter, might well harbor sympathy for Consort Ning."

The emperor's expression hardened. After a moment of deep thought, he said, "I shall go see the Sixth Prince."