Chapter 57

Chapter 57

In the morning court, the atmosphere was tense. For the first time since returning from his campaign, the Emperor did not arrive on time.

News from the palace had spread overnight to the homes of officials, whether to the families of consorts or the informants planted by high ministers. All knew that an urgent decree had been issued from the Qianqing Palace last night, and the Jinyiwei had searched almost the entire harem. The palace attendants who were taken away remained in the Imperial Prison with no news of them, and it was said that even the Kunning Palace had not been spared.

The attacks on the Ministry of War over the past two days had come to an abrupt halt. Several civil officials who had been garrulous earlier fell silent. Everyone waited until the Emperor walked in. Seeing his indecipherable expression, they knew that he was angered.

Grand Secretary Xu stood calmly among them. The Emperor's gaze fell on him from afar.

Before anyone else could present a memorial, the Emperor looked at Eunuch Rong. “Show it to the Grand Secretary.”

Upon seeing the contents of the memorial, Grand Secretary Xu's pupils contracted. He immediately knelt. “We did not know.”

The Emperor looked at Qi Hanzhou. Qi Hanzhou stepped forward. “Last night’s investigation revealed that the female official Shuang Yue’s identity was suspicious, possibly linked to the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince. Overnight interrogation revealed that she had dealings with the culprits in the palace.”

The Eldest Prince Faction were all waiting and watching. Because of the attack on the Crown Prince, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War had been the first to bear the brunt. Now, with these words from the Jinyiwei, the Eldest Prince Faction suddenly realized—the Xu family itself was not clean, yet they had been trying to frame others in court!?

“How do you explain this?” the Emperor asked coldly, looking at him.

The officials exchanged glances. They simply couldn’t explain. Shuang Yue was a female official by Empress Xu’s side, a servant who had been with her since she became Crown Princess. She was almost branded with the Xu family’s mark. Whatever she did was inseparable from the Xu family.

Grand Secretary Xu was silent for a moment before speaking. “I have no defense to offer, but this matter is too suspicious. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly.”

“Investigate thoroughly?” The Emperor looked at him. “Are you questioning the results of the Jinyiwei’s investigation?”

As a two-dynasty elder who had helped the Emperor ascend the throne, the Emperor had always treated the Xu family with courtesy since his reign. Even when corrupt officials and exam fraud involved officials under the Xu family’s patronage, the Emperor had turned a blind eye. This was the first time the Emperor confronted Grand Secretary Xu in front of the civil and military officials.

Grand Secretary Xu knelt. “Your old servant has been lax in discipline. I am guilty.”

The Minister of Works stepped forward. “Your Majesty, this is a convenient coincidence. With the female official dead, there is no living witness. Moreover, if Shuang Yue had colluded with the assassins, why would she suddenly die here? Although Shuang Yue was from the Xu family, she had little contact with them after entering the palace. Now that the person is dead and there is no evidence, mere correspondence cannot be considered conclusive... It could be a frame-up by others.”

“You all know how to surprise me,” the Emperor said, scanning the high ministers in the hall.

The Minister of Works had misspoken.

Just then, a cold laugh came from outside the hall. Among the forefront of the court officials stood a man in splendid official robes. As soon as his laughter sounded, the Eldest Prince Faction fell silent.

It was Prince Yongjia.

Prince Yongjia rarely spoke in court. Even when the Eldest Prince Faction and the Crown Prince Faction were locked in fierce conflict, he had always remained an observer.

“Your younger brother has something to report,” Prince Yongjia said, performing the ritual.

“Lord Zhou speaks of a frame-up?” Prince Yongjia’s tone carried a hint of mockery, his cold sidelong glance at the Minister of Works. “The Crown Prince assassination case remains unresolved. Two days ago, due to the discovery of the modified carriage, the Minister of Imperial Stud, Shen Changcun, was nearly branded a traitor for plotting against the Crown Prince and is still awaiting trial in the Dali Temple Prison. Now that something has happened to the Empress’s female attendant, you can conveniently ignore the past and speak of frame-ups.”

“Could it be that the Crown Prince’s assassination is merely a play staged by your Xu family?”

The Eldest Prince Faction and the Crown Prince Faction had been fighting for so long, but this was the first time trouble landed on the Xu family. How could Prince Yongjia let the opportunity slip?

Qi Hanzhou stood silently while the surrounding civil officials watched in silence.

He had been watching Grand Secretary Xu all along. Even faced with such a situation, the two-dynasty elder could admit fault as a strategic retreat to advance later. That was the mark of an old fox who had spent years in court—unflustered in crisis, calm in chaos.

Among those who had dealings with Shuang Yue, several bore totems from the previous dynasty. First, the female official Shuang Yue died mysteriously in the cold palace, her body covered in gu worms. Then, her network of contacts was inseparable from the previous dynasty. The cause of Shuang Yue’s death was bizarre, but her presence there, and her dealings with spies of the previous dynasty, was enough to inextricably implicate the Xu family.

The Emperor did not explicitly mention spies of the previous dynasty; he only spoke of assassins, probing the Xu family’s attitude.

He looked at the Emperor. The Emperor watched silently as the ministers debated in the court.

With this problem cropping up in the palace, the timing of the Eastern Palace incident seems too convenient.

First, the Crown Prince mishandled his duties during the morning court, then the Eastern Palace was attacked. In court, civil officials criticized the recently elevated officials of the Court of the Imperial Stud—the Emperor could clearly see this targeting. Add in the matter of spies from the former dynasty, the Xu family could not escape blame.

No matter how they tried to defend themselves, the situation for the day was already decided.

Grand Secretary Xu remained kneeling.

The Emperor said coldly, "Grand Secretary Xu has been negligent in his duties. In consideration of your past diligence, I temporarily relieve you of your cabinet duties and order you to return home and reflect for several months. If there are other matters, you may submit a memorial."

These words shocked the entire court!

Since entering the cabinet, Grand Secretary Xu had enjoyed the Emperor’s continuous favor, and most civil officials in the court looked to him as their leader; he rarely made mistakes. Though being sent home for several months was not a direct removal of power, it was an unusually severe punishment. How serious an offense had the Xu family committed to provoke such imperial anger?

The Minister of Works wanted to speak further, but Grand Secretary Xu shook his head. He stood up unsteadily and said, "This old minister thanks the Emperor for his grace."

The Emperor waved his hand, turned, and left without even glancing at him.

The court was dismissed.

...

Qi Hanzhou accompanied the Emperor all the way to the Qianqing Palace. The Emperor could still hear all the court discussions ringing in his ears.

Since some corrupt officials had just been removed from court, it was not the time for drastic actions. For now, there was only a temporary removal of power. Given the Xu family's prestige and ties among the court officials, and since the matter of the former dynasty was not explicitly brought up in court, the Xu family had, however, become a thorn in the Emperor's side.

The Emperor's trust in the Xu family had plummeted.

For now, Grand Secretary Xu was only temporarily stripped of power. What would happen next depended entirely on the Emperor's attitude.

The mastermind was deeply tied to the former dynasty, and through successive incidents, it became impossible to separate from the Xu family. Using just Shuang Yue, Ying Fusheng had steered everything in a completely different direction. What drove things was not just him, but also the shifting of secret court relationships.

"Hanzhou?" The Emperor noticed that Qi Hanzhou was distracted.

"Your servant is here," Qi Hanzhou said.

"You did well this time." The Emperor looked at him, and seeing his respectful demeanor, continued, "I grant you special authority to investigate the matter of the previous dynasty thoroughly."

Qi Hanzhou was slightly surprised. "Yes!"

After Qi Hanzhou departed, the Emperor withdrew his gaze and glanced at the memorials on the desk.

"Your Majesty, this concerns the affairs of the inner palace," Eunuch Rong said softly.

The Emperor knew what it was about—yesterday, there had been the witchcraft incident in the Weiyang Palace.

"That matter has not yet been linked to the Kunning Palace," Eunuch Rong said. "How should it be handled?"

With the issue of Shen Changcun of the Court of the Imperial Stud still fresh, witchcraft had surfaced near the Sixth Prince. If not for the incident involving the Empress's female official, the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince would inevitably have led to someone taking the fall.

The study companion assigned to the Shen family was appointed by the Emperor, and the Shen family was naturally allied with Ying Fusheng. These malicious moves were too obvious.

As things stood now, the matter of the palace lanterns was also inseparable. Ying Fusheng had successfully handled several matters, and some couldn’t stand to see him succeed.

"Over the years, the Xu family has kept a low profile, the Empress has not seized power, and I have been somewhat lax with them." The Emperor’s face turned cold. He had intentionally allowed the rivalry between the First Prince and the Crown Prince to maintain a balance of power. But if certain privileges were granted too generously, greed would take root.

The Emperor had long heard of witchcraft in the palace. From the palace lanterns to the witchcraft, this child had endured many misfortunes stemming from his mother’s family. Now that he was starting to do better, he had suffered repeated undeserved calamities.

"What does the imperial physician say about his health?" the Emperor asked.

Eunuch Rong replied: "The Sixth Prince's pulse has stabilized somewhat, but he has not yet recovered. Suihongzi's detoxification will take time... Chu Taiyi said the Sixth Prince's body is unlikely to ever be the same as an ordinary person's."

The Emperor had seen the child's intelligence a few times; without Suihongzi, he would have been a prince worth cultivating. Unfortunately, his frail body precluded martial arts, and the lingering brain toxin made him slow in learning... With these limitations, he could not compete with his elder brothers.

Ying Fusheng was over twelve years old and had never had his own palace, temporarily residing in Cining Palace.

It was acceptable when he was young, but as he grew older, he should have his own prince's hall and eventually move out to establish his own residence.

The Empress Dowager could shelter him in the palace, but with no one behind him now, his future might not be smooth.

"Prepare the Wanchun Hall," the Emperor said.

Eunuch Rong's expression shifted slightly at the mention of Wanchun Hall, suppressing his amazement. "This servant understands."

-*

When the imperial decree arrived at Cining Palace, a gathering of imperial consorts was already there.

News from the court had spread; who could have imagined that Empress Xu's chief maid would be involved in such an incident?

The Empress Dowager was shocked after learning of the overnight changes in the palace. Empress Xu was punished as a result, and some of the authority originally delegated to Kunming Palace was taken back by the Empress Dowager, part of which was given to Consort Yun.

The Xu and Yun families were openly at odds. This transfer of power to a rival made Consort Yun overjoyed, and when she came to Cining Palace to pay respects that day, she put on a show of arrogance.

When Eunuch Rong arrived to deliver the decree, all the consorts were present. Hearing that the Emperor granted Wanchun Hall as Ying Fusheng's residence, several consorts' expressions changed.

Wanchun Hall had been the Emperor's own residence in his youth, later designated as a blessed site by the Imperial Observatory. After the Emperor ascended the throne, the palace was renovated and the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace was established separately. Wanchun Hall had been left empty ever since, though the Emperor occasionally stayed there for short visits. Now, he specially ordered it prepared and granted it to the Sixth Prince—such treatment was not even given to the Crown Prince!

Ying Fusheng paused briefly, a flicker of surprise passing through him.

Noticing the looks around him, he lowered his eyes to conceal the strange glint in them, performed the rites, and accepted the decree.

"Congratulations, Your Highness," Eunuch Rong said. "As a prince, Your Highness is naturally blessed by fortune."

There had been vague rumors of ill omens surrounding the Sixth Prince's palace lantern and the witchcraft incident. The Emperor's bestowal of Wanchun Hall at this time was a personal effort to shatter those rumors. If the Sixth Prince moved into Wanchun Hall, who would dare spread such rumors again? To do so would be to speak ill of Wanchun Hall itself.

In addition, there were extra rewards, all sent to Cining Palace.

The Emperor's lavish gifts drew the eyes of the consorts, each harboring their own thoughts.

"The Sixth Prince is immensely blessed; he should not suffer from such baseless suspicions and plots."

Consort Yun was in a good mood after gaining authority today. The previous night, she had found some needlework materials in the palace. If not for the death of that female official diverting the attention of the Imperial Guard, those items could have been used to frame the Sixth Prince, and the blame would have fallen on her. Her gaze swept over the consorts present, a warning in her tone: "After today, order the palace staff to conduct a thorough search and leave no hidden dangers."

The Empress Dowager glanced at her but did not refute.

Ying Fusheng watched Consort Yun's demeanor. The Empress Dowager's body was still being eroded by the sub-gu worm, and someone had to take charge of palace affairs. Consort Yun was suitable—coquettish, domineering, and unique in the palace. Such a person, at odds with the Xu family, would strive to do practical work once she took power, just as the Empress Dowager needed.

The Emperor's move, with Qi Hanzhou's swift action, caught the mastermind off guard, costing them many hidden agents in the palace.

Those imprisoned in the Imperial Prison could reveal anything under interrogation; the mastermind dared not gamble and would inevitably lie low for a time... If they could use Consort Yun's hand to uproot the remaining Xu family agents, so much the better.

Especially the Imperial Household Department—some things were easier with borrowed power.

Lost in thought, Ying Fusheng came back to his senses and noticed the Third Princess standing beside him.

Seeming to notice his gaze, she appeared to have been watching him for a long time, but hesitated to approach.

Ying Fusheng lowered his eyes, his peripheral vision catching Concubine Ruan's gaze. He then extended his hand, offering the candied fruit wrapped in paper to the Third Princess.

The Third Princess was startled, looked up in confusion, and quietly thanked her imperial brother. Concubine Ruan's expression shifted, and she quickly smiled apologetically, murmuring, "You child..."

The Empress Dowager saw the Third Princess beside Ying Fusheng, her eyes softening. She instructed Lady Yu to give some to the Third Princess.

The other consorts glared secretly at Concubine Ruan; her display had drawn the Empress Dowager's attention.

The Third Princess caught the medicinal smell on Ying Fusheng and sniffled, silently eating the candied fruit.

The fruit was sweet, but her imperial brother smelled bitter.

Ying Fusheng did not stay long. After confirming that Consort Yun was behaving normally, he found an excuse to leave.

But no sooner had he stepped out than Lady Yu followed, offering some golden wound medicine. "Her Majesty noticed this morning that Your Highness's hand seemed injured. Knowing you don't wish to see a physician, she sent this."

Ying Fusheng's left hand was bandaged. Earlier, to avoid suspicion, he hadn't bandaged it. After Qi Hanzhou treated it, he didn't remove the bandage, keeping it hidden in his sleeve. He hadn't expected the Empress Dowager to notice. "Thank you, Grandmother."

Outside Cining Palace, a palanquin was waiting.

When he reached it, Ying Fusheng paused, noticing a small sachet attached to the side.

A poorly stitched sachet sat on the palanquin. Ying Fusheng looked at the clumsy needlework, his peripheral vision catching sight of the Third Princess peeking from behind the palace wall.

Song An lowered his head and asked, "Should we warn Concubine Ruan?"

It was obvious to anyone that Concubine Ruan was using the Third Princess.

Ying Fusheng picked up the sachet, and Song An understood.

...

The capital was bustling. At the gate of the Court of Judicial Review, several officials saw off Shen Changcun.

Shen Changcun had been released. The court had treated him well for two days, even preparing a decent cell, almost making Lord Shen think something major had occurred.

The court, mindful of the salaries the Sixth Prince had obtained from the Ministry of Revenue and lacking sufficient evidence in Shen Changcun's case, plus no trouble from the Censorate, had closed its eyes along with everyone else.

"All thanks to the Sixth Prince's blessing," Shen Changcun said.

Weng Yanqing, driving the carriage, smiled. "The Sixth Prince said a banquet has been arranged for you at the restaurant to wash away the bad luck."

News of Grand Secretary Xu's severe punishment at court spread within two hours.

The story was that Prince Yongjia had openly mocked him at court, and Grand Secretary Xu had yielded without retort.

Listening to the young idlers' retellings, Ying Fusheng recognized this as the usual style of the Xu family's scholar-officials.

Court officials knew the Xu family had committed an offense, but commoners did not. By spinning the tale as Prince Yongjia harassing Grand Secretary Xu, they preserved the old man's reputation among the people.

Using the pretext of Shen Yunfei washing away bad luck for his father, Ying Fusheng chatted briefly with Shen Changcun, watching the group drink and revel for some time.

When they began to show signs of intoxication, he turned and went upstairs.

There, he found Qi Hanzhou standing, along with several Imperial Guard officers who were wolfing down food. They had been working through the night and had just rested when they encountered the Sixth Prince.

"Military people, always unbridled," Qi Hanzhou paused to explain.

Ying Fusheng looked at Qi Hanzhou, who showed no sign of fatigue.

Qi Hanzhou noticed his gaze.

Ying Fusheng said with a chuckle, "Thanks to you, it's already been cleared up."

Doctor Chen had long seen that Ying Fusheng was no ordinary person. Since she mentioned the Mother-Child Gu, his attitude had been clear. Qi Hanzhou was a member of the Imperial Guard, and in the tavern, they called Ying Fusheng the Sixth Young Master. But she knew he was the Sixth Prince of the court. Since the current Sixth Prince was raised by the Empress Dowager, it wasn't hard to guess who the Mother-Child Gu had been planted in.

At that moment, Qi Hanzhou spoke up, "He is poisoned with Suihongzi. The imperial physicians know little about the secret medicines of the previous dynasty. Please take a look at him."

Doctor Chen had only seen his appearance back in the cottage. "Honored one, please extend your hand."

Ying Fusheng glanced briefly at Qi Hanzhou but still extended his hand for Doctor Chen to feel his pulse.

When Doctor Chen touched Ying Fusheng's pulse, Chen Xuqiu, standing nearby, glanced at the faint green needle marks on his skin and frowned slightly. Suihongzi had plagued Ying Fusheng for a long time. Doctor Chen was skilled in therapies from the previous dynasty, but even she hesitated frequently upon feeling his pulse. He then looked at the palm of his injured left hand.

Doctor Chen looked at him in surprise. Ying Fusheng's gaze paused, and he glanced slightly at Qi Hanzhou beside him.

Just then, Ye Xuanjiu outside seemed to have something to report. Qi Hanzhou took half a step outside, and Ying Fusheng shook his head at Doctor Chen.

"Your Highness has intentionally bled out the poisoned blood," Doctor Chen said, hitting the mark.

Ying Fusheng asked, "Will Suihongzi poison affect my mental clarity?"

The imperial physicians at court had spoken of this matter. Ying Fusheng couldn't say for sure—he had been mad before, and though his mind was clear in this life, his body had been ravaged by the poison for too long. He only knew a few emergency life-saving techniques that Chen Xuqiu had taught him for emergencies, not as a cure. He couldn't afford to go mad now; if he did, many things would remain undone.

"The imperial physicians in the palace might not be able to do it, but I can draw out the poison," Doctor Chen said. "However, it'll take time."

The Suihongzi poison in Ying Fusheng's body had seeped deep into his organs, a sign of a long-standing affliction.

The longer the poison stays, the shorter his life becomes. It required detoxification, and the sooner, the better.

"His poison can't be removed all at once. You can't stay in the capital," Chen Xuqiu suddenly interjected.

Before Chen Xuqiu could explain, Qi Hanzhou walked in. "Doctor Chen indeed cannot stay here. Since you left the cottage, several groups of people have come, openly and secretly poking around for your whereabouts."

Shuang Yue's death had been too swift, and some were eager to figure out why.

Given the situation, it wouldn't take long for them to trace it back to the capital. Since Ying Fusheng came here often, the tavern was no longer safe either.

"I haven't seen those people before; they don't know me," Chen Xuqiu said, looking at Ying Fusheng as if there was a deeper meaning in her words. "Those people are eager to silence her. She cannot stay in the capital. The cottage matter—the Chen family owes you a debt. I can treat Your Highness's poison, but I also have a request: I hope you can ensure my grandmother's safety and send her to Jiangnan."

"Sending Doctor Chen to Jiangnan is the least I can do," Ying Fusheng said, withdrawing his hand calmly and composedly, showing no sign of weakness. "As for the residual poison in my body, if treatment is needed, I'd like to hire Miss Chen to treat me."

His words surprised the others. Qi Hanzhou glanced at him. With a life-saving favor at stake, it would've been easier to use that as leverage. With the poison already deep in his organs, most people desperate for a cure would've begged for it. But Ying Fusheng didn't; instead, he showed great respect to the two Chens.

"I'll need to trouble Junior General Qi to send Doctor Chen off," Ying Fusheng said, looking at him.

Qi Hanzhou owed him a favor for the convenience in the palace. "Of course."

Having spent quite some time outside the palace, Ying Fusheng needed to return.

He bid farewell to Doctor Chen and Chen Xuqiu and turned to leave.

After Ying Fusheng had gone, Qi Hanzhou turned to Doctor Chen. "What did you find?"

"About what you asked me to look for—he does show needle marks along his pulse points. Those marks are from a martial arts technique that can boost energy and calm the blood, but it also severely undermines the body's constitution. Suihongzi poison impairs the mind, and this method can ease it and clear the mind. But the person applying the needles did so incorrectly—some needles were too deep, some too shallow, a mix of skill and inexperience."

After a careful pause, Doctor Chen added, "But this method is not advisable. I'll discuss it with Xuqiu; she'll keep an eye on it."

Qi Hanzhou frowned. Such acupuncture techniques could not possibly be done by imperial physicians in the palace.

His heart tightened. There was no one else around Ying Fusheng... He must have done it himself.

Seeing Qi Hanzhou silent for a long time, Doctor Chen frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "There is one more thing I didn't have time to tell the Sixth Prince. Please convey this to him, General."

"Besides the Suihongzi poison, the Sixth Prince has another toxin in his body, deep in his organs. This poison has coexisted with Suihongzi for a long time, and the imperial physicians in the palace might mistake it for Suihongzi alone."

Qi Hanzhou's expression changed. He looked at her in shock.

Ying Fusheng had another poison...?

"What poison?" His tone suddenly became grave.

"It's unclear for now. It's too tangled up with the Suihongzi; we'll have to draw the poison out first to figure it out," Doctor Chen said thoughtfully. "However, this poison has been hiding inside the Suihongzi for likely many years. May I ask how long Your Highness has suffered from Suihongzi?"

Qi Hanzhou's gaze darkened, his heart heavy with shock. "It could be from early childhood, or even infancy."

Suihongzi had been inflicted on Ying Fusheng in his childhood. According to Chu Taiyi's diagnosis, it might have been introduced when he was a baby. But the timeline was uncertain; the only certainty was his early years.

The Emperor had many children, and Ying Fusheng was just one of them. The Ning family had at most one Vice Minister of Rites.

Aside from Consort Ning, who would bother to poison an ordinary prince?

Early childhood... Doctor Chen was startled. After a moment's hesitation, she decided to say, "This is just a speculation, but given the Sixth Prince's young age, for it to be hidden so deep, it could be a congenital poison."