Now let’s talk about how Mu Chun was on duty tonight. The Library Pavilion’s lights had been on for two nights, and the four-story tall building shone like a brilliant pearl in the darkness. Now everyone knew that Empress Ma had issued an imperial edict to compile books.
Upon further inquiry into the content of the book compilation, they learned that Empress Ma’s intentions were not what they appeared. Mu Chun had grown up in the palace and knew Imperial Noble Consort Hu’s arrogant and domineering nature. In her eyes, this Library Pavilion was undoubtedly a thorn in her side.
Mu Chun deliberately paid attention to the movements at the Library Pavilion. He was quite popular in the palace, so when trouble started at the Library Pavilion, someone secretly informed him.
When Mu Chun hurried over, he saw ahead a brightly lit tall building with a woman in purple robes and red skirt at the main entrance, hair disheveled, wielding a long staff in confrontation with over ten people.
From the trajectory of the flying staff, it was only the most rudimentary entry-level military staff techniques. It looked impressive but was actually useless.
However, at this moment, she had the momentum of “one woman guards the pass, ten thousand cannot break through.”
In her spinning movements, her black hair scattered, revealing a fair face – it was actually Hu Shanwei.
Sister Shanwei always continued to surprise him.
The staff in Hu Shanwei’s hands knocked away a chair. The head eunuch pounced forward, and Mu Chun also pressed close from behind, his large hands enveloping Shanwei’s grip on the staff.
Everyone only heard a whooshing sound, the head eunuch disappeared, and then a sharp cry came from outside the Library Pavilion: “Help!”
Imperial Noble Consort Hu stood up abruptly. “Audacious! You dare commit violence in front of this palace.”
Mu Chun put on a smiling face. “Imperial Noble Consort Hu, it’s me! Don’t let the flood wash away the Dragon King Temple – family members not recognizing family members.”
Mu Chun’s father Mu Ying was Emperor Hongwu’s adopted son, and Imperial Noble Consort Hu was Emperor Hongwu’s concubine, so they could barely be considered family.
Imperial Noble Consort Hu could be said to have watched Mu Chun grow up. She considered herself his elder and wouldn’t quibble with him, but Mu Chun had immediately flung away her palace’s head eunuch upon arrival – how could she tolerate this?
Imperial Noble Consort Hu supported her waist as she sat down, also putting on a smile. “It’s you again. Last time with the peach blossom powder incident, your apology still rings in this palace’s ears. This palace didn’t hold it against you and let it pass with a laugh. How long has it been, and you’re causing trouble again, frightening this palace? It seems you learned no lesson at all. This time, don’t blame this palace for complaining to your father.”
During the peach blossom powder incident, Mu Ying was furious and wanted to discipline his son. Empress Ma mediated, saying children will be mischievous, and the matter passed.
This time Mu Chun made another mistake, and Empress Ma wouldn’t feel right making excuses. It seemed Mu Chun was doomed this time and would get a beating.
Mu Chun laughed. “Your Ladyship Imperial Noble Consort, I was performing official duties, not causing trouble – I was on night patrol tonight and heard there was a eunuch who went mad at the Library Pavilion, so I hurried over to look. From far away I saw that eunuch swinging a chair to hit someone. Fortunately, Historian Hu had a staff and temporarily stopped the mad eunuch. When that eunuch tried to seize the staff, I was afraid he would harm Your Ladyship Imperial Noble Consort, so I swept the eunuch aside with one staff strike.”
Mu Chun came from a military family, so his staff strike was extraordinary in power. The head eunuch was swept into a cluster of poppies beside the Library Pavilion, landing face-first, getting a mouthful of mud and flower juice, suffering only superficial injuries.
Hearing this, the head eunuch quickly crawled over from the flower mud, crying out his innocence. “Ptui, ptui!” He first spat out the filth in his mouth, then cried out his grievance: “How can Young Master Mu twist black and white? It was clearly Hu Shanwei who went mad, wielding a staff to harm Imperial Noble Consort Hu! This servant was loyally protecting his mistress but was mistakenly injured by Young Master Mu! Please, Your Ladyship Imperial Noble Consort, uphold justice!”
The head eunuch cried his grievances while crawling toward the Library Pavilion. His left leg seemed dislocated from being swept, unable to bear weight or stand upright.
“This madman has started talking nonsense.” Mu Chun exclaimed in wonder. He gave Hu Shanwei a meaningful look, and Shanwei understood, handing him the staff. He took the staff and stood at the doorway, pointing directly at the crawling eunuch. “Everyone look at his appearance – crooked mouth and nose, body covered in filth. Don’t let him approach the Library Pavilion and disturb Your Ladyship Imperial Noble Consort. If he harms the dragon’s heir, you’ll all lose your heads tonight!”
Indeed, in the dark night, the eunuch’s face and hands were cut by broken stones, his body wrapped in a thick layer of flower mud like a beggar’s chicken, wriggling on the ground like a worm – like a demon crawled from hell, truly terrifying.
So the Yanxi Palace servants dared not go help him.
Mu Chun waved the long staff, preventing the eunuch from crawling in.
The head eunuch called out, “Your Ladyship! Please speak a word for this servant! This servant is not mad – Hu Shanwei is!”
Just as Imperial Noble Consort Hu was about to speak, Mu Chun turned to ask the ten observing female officials, “Fellow sisters compiling books, you are all witnesses. Just now, wasn’t it the head eunuch who went mad and attacked Historian Hu?”
The female officials compiling books had been forcibly pressed into chairs by Yanxi Palace people earlier, unable to move. They were fed up with this treatment. Except for Jiang Quan, they all agreed: “Yes, it was His Honor who suddenly went mad and attacked Historian Hu with a chair.”
Mu Chun clapped his hands. “That’s right! Historian Hu is such a gentle, refined person – how could she possibly swing a club to hit people?”
Which eye saw her as “gentle”!
The head eunuch felt more wronged than Dou E. Imperial Noble Consort Hu was also angered by Mu Chun’s tactic of calling a deer a horse – this was really not taking Yanxi Palace seriously.
Imperial Noble Consort Hu put away her smile. “Mu Chun, this palace, considering your young age and ignorance, won’t quibble with you. But tonight you beat this palace’s head eunuch with a staff and tried to twist black and white… Mu Chun, this is the Forbidden City, not your family’s Marquis Xiping residence. Don’t think you can cover the sky with one hand!”
Imperial Noble Consort Hu deliberately dug a pit for Mu Chun, accusing him of disregarding the imperial family and acting arbitrarily.
How could Mu Chun obediently jump into the pit? He shamelessly played dumb and muddied the waters further. “Your Ladyship Imperial Noble Consort, you are an elder. When I saw a madman about to harm you, I hurried over to subdue the madman. My filial devotion can be witnessed by heaven and earth!”
Who would have thought that the dignified eldest son of Marquis Xiping would be completely without principles, acting like a grandson and offering filial devotion in front of her! Imperial Noble Consort Hu nearly fainted from anger and asked everyone, “Tell Young Master Mu – who exactly went mad?”
The Yanxi Palace servants all said, “It was Hu Shanwei!”
Nine female officials said, “It was the head eunuch!”
Only Jiang Quan remained silent.
Mu Chun pretended helplessness, spreading his hands. “Aiya, the public says the public is right, the mother-in-law says the mother-in-law is right. I’m just a small Imperial Guard out on night patrol. Who’s right and who’s wrong, what punishment should be given – we must wait for the Palace Supervisory Department to give an explanation. I can’t manage this. I’m only responsible for protecting Your Ladyship Imperial Noble Consort.”
Mu Chun’s mind was clear as a mirror. The Library Pavilion had made such a commotion, yet the Palace Supervisory Department still hadn’t arrived – clearly someone had managed to delay the Palace Supervisory Department people.
It was well known that Palace Supervisor Fan of the Palace Supervisory Department was presiding over the book compilation at the Library Pavilion.
When Palace Supervisor Fan arrived, who would she favor? Even thinking with one’s toes, it was obvious.
Mu Chun could think of how pushing the matter to the Palace Supervisory Department would benefit whom, and others could naturally think of it too.
The head eunuch’s miserable cries came from outside the door: “Your Ladyship, please uphold justice!”
The eunuch knew that if Palace Supervisor Fan came, he would lose a layer of skin if not die! Palace Supervisor Fan was someone who didn’t even regard Imperial Guard Commander Mao Qiang with respect. When Mao Qiang’s confidant Ji Gang spent a night in the Palace Supervisory Department prison, he was carried out the next day with almost all his fingernails pulled out, barely breathing.
After all, this was an old servant who had served her, so Imperial Noble Consort Hu felt some pity and was about to speak. Jiang Quan, who had remained silent, said to Imperial Noble Consort Hu, “The night is deep, Your Ladyship is tired. Please return to the palace to rest and not exhaust yourself, lest it harm the dragon’s heir.”
Jiang Quan spoke reasonably. How could she, a dignified Imperial Noble Consort, go to the Palace Supervisory Department to confront and debate with a low-ranking female official? That would be beneath an Imperial Noble Consort’s dignity.
Imperial Noble Consort Hu left behind several palace servants as witnesses, boarded her phoenix palanquin, and returned to the palace.
When Palace Supervisor Fan and her group arrived by the detour route, Imperial Noble Consort Hu had just left.
Palace Supervisor Fan looked down at the head eunuch covered in mud and loudly crying his innocence, knowing that Imperial Noble Consort Hu wanted to abandon her pawn to save the king and make a clean escape.
Hmph, it’s not that easy.
Upon seeing Palace Supervisor Fan, the head eunuch was so frightened he forgot to cry.
“Carry him away. Have a female physician set his leg and treat him well. Don’t neglect him – His Honor’s old arms and legs can’t withstand such torment.” Unexpectedly, Palace Supervisor Fan didn’t shout for beatings or imprisonment with forced confessions. Instead, she seemed extremely considerate of the eunuch.
Now, the voices of the several Yanxi Palace servants crying “His Honor is wronged” became much quieter. What was Palace Supervisor Fan planning?
Palace Supervisor Fan pointed at these servants. “Take them to the Palace Supervisory Department and question them separately. Make sure to ask clearly, not missing any detail. Tomorrow morning, I want to see each person’s statement.”
If they lied, these palace servants wouldn’t have time to coordinate their stories, so each person’s statement would be different, contradicting each other.
If they told the truth, the head eunuch’s behavior of borrowing books without writing receipts and physically manhandling Hu Shanwei would be impossible to conceal.
So regardless of what statements they made, it would all be unfavorable to Yanxi Palace, and Hu Shanwei could easily clear herself.
This way, what the higher-ranking head eunuch said became unimportant.
Moreover, since Imperial Noble Consort Hu had abandoned the eunuch, the Palace Supervisory Department treating the eunuch so well would also sow discord between the eunuch and Imperial Noble Consort Hu, making them suspect each other.
Palace Supervisor Fan grasped the key points and sorted out the matter with just a few moves.
“As for you all…” Palace Supervisor Fan looked at the ten female officials compiling books, lightly furrowing her brows. “Do you still remember what you came to the Library Pavilion to do?”
The female officials answered in unison, “To compile books following Empress Ma’s imperial edict.”
Palace Supervisor Fan said, “It’s almost the third watch, and how is tonight’s progress? Are you still standing here watching the excitement? Get inside and copy books! If you cannot complete the work on time, you’ll all queue up at the Palace Supervisory Department for punishment.”
The female officials hastily began their candlelit night reading.
Outside the door, only Hu Shanwei and Mu Chun remained. Palace Supervisor Fan asked Mu Chun, “For Imperial Guard night patrol, why did only you come alone?”
Mu Chun had improved from before, knowing he couldn’t say he came for Hu Shanwei’s sake, which would unnecessarily bring her trouble and make the Six Bureaus and One Department afraid to employ her.
The lie came readily: “I was concerned for Your Ladyship Imperial Noble Consort’s safety. Hearing someone had gone mad, I hurried over to look. Fortunately, I came in time and joined hands with Historian Hu to subdue the madman.”
This boy – in what way did he resemble his wise and mighty father, Marquis Xiping? Tonight’s events – if not for Mu Chun’s troublemaking, Imperial Noble Consort Hu’s disruption of the Library Pavilion would have made Empress Ma lose face.
Even so, Palace Supervisor Fan still maintained a stern expression. “Go to the Palace Supervisory Department and explain tonight’s events clearly.”
Mu Chun smiled, “That’s as it should be.”
Palace Supervisor Fan examined Hu Shanwei, her gaze falling on each of her purple, swollen fingers. This wasn’t chilblains – these were marks left when the Yanxi Palace servants swarmed her and forcibly pried open her fingers.
“How are your hands?” Palace Supervisor Fan asked.
Hu Shanwei painfully moved each finger. “They still move. Just superficial injuries – no bone damage.”
Palace Supervisor Fan somewhat admired her fierce determination, but in front of everyone, she had to maintain surface impartiality. “Hair disheveled – what kind of appearance is this? Don’t rest at the Library Pavilion tonight. Go back and rest. A female physician will come to your room to apply medicine. Tomorrow morning, go to the Palace Supervisory Department to explain tonight’s events.”
“Yes, this humble official takes leave.” Hu Shanwei left the Library Pavilion. As she passed Mu Chun, the night wind blew her long hair, the flowing black strands dancing and caressing in the wind, brushing against Mu Chun’s face.
Mu Chun again felt that tingling, indescribable comfort. He saw several broken pieces of white jade hairpin “remains” on the ground, guessing they had fallen from Hu Shanwei’s hair bun and been trampled by the crowd. He half-crouched and collected the white jade hairpin pieces one by one, not missing even grain-sized fragments, putting them all in his pouch.
After Mu Chun went to the Palace Supervisory Department to give his statement, it was almost dawn, just in time for the day-night shift change. He returned to the duty room to sleep. First, he washed off his sweaty body, bathing completely, but he didn’t wash his face – he felt Hu Shanwei’s hair still carried a faint fragrance on his face. He was reluctant to wash it off, keeping it on his face where it smelled quite pleasant and aided his sleep.