Beyond everyone’s expectations, except for Qing Xia’s Lanting Palace and Concubine Dan’s Yunxiang Palace, witchcraft dolls were found in almost every palace gate. For a moment, the Eastern Palace was filled with earth-shaking cries and endless pleas of innocence. From Concubines De and Chen above to dozens of beauties, gentle ladies, talented ladies, and noble consorts below, all were shackled by the Imperial Guards’ chains. Only Concubine Rou, who was still observing mourning for her deceased sister the former Crown Princess at the ancestral temple, luckily escaped this disaster.
Disasters always came swiftly. Qing Xia sat in the main hall of Lanting Palace, watching the Imperial Guard soldiers overturn all boxes and cabinets like wolves and tigers. She showed no anger or panic, her expression calm, revealing no emotion. Xiangju, Xiangmei, and other servants stood beside her. Hearing the earth-shaking cries from outside, they felt their hearts turn cold. Under long chains were locked most of the Eastern Palace’s power, and even Dongyang Palace where Crown Prince Chu Li resided had been searched and witchcraft evidence found.
But even with such massive actions, outsiders still knew nothing of what was happening inside. All four palace gates of the imperial city were completely closed. Inside was chaos and turmoil, but outside received not a single transmitted message.
This day, the world was about to be overturned.
Qing Xia frowned in deep thought. Whether she admitted it or not, her fate was now tied to Chu Li’s. If she allowed Chu Li to fall from power and the Zhuang family to collapse, she had no reason to be spared either.
How insignificant individual power was before a nation—Qing Xia had long understood this principle. She sat quietly in her seat, but her mind was racing at high speed. That man was indeed not simple.
When the moon reached the center of the sky, several magistrates from the Court of Judicial Review were secretly summoned into the palace. The Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace being investigated for suspected witchcraft was kept secret within the palace, but such massive actions couldn’t be concealed. So for a time, Imperial Guard figures were everywhere throughout the rear palace. The emperor remained unconscious, and palace affairs were managed by Imperial Consort Xiao, who secretly summoned the emperor’s brother, Thirteenth Prince, to the palace to take charge of the overall situation.
On the bustling scene of disaster, countless palace servants cried and pleaded in unison. Though Qing Xia’s Lanting Palace hadn’t been searched and found with evidence, because she was also part of the Eastern Palace and implicated, she was also placed under guard. Concubines Chen and De cried miserably, having lost their graceful and noble demeanor, frightened out of their wits. Just before their eyes, some low-ranking servants and palace maids had been burned alive. These women who lived deep in the palace were all terrified—some nearly went mad. The Court of Judicial Review officials interrogated the consorts and palace maids from whom evidence had been found with harsh shouts. Under fright and torture, many were forced into false confessions.
Qing Xia had originally thought there would at least be a formal trial by the Court of Judicial Review before sentencing, but she hadn’t expected these people to be so ruthless and impatient. Chu Li currently controlled the imperial city’s military power—no wonder they were so concerned.
Conclusions came quickly. In less than an hour, the charges against Chu Li for secretly conspiring with the abbot of the Great Buddha Temple on the outskirts of Southern Chu city, learning witchcraft and curse methods from the southern border barbarians, plotting to harm the current King of Chu, and attempting early succession were confirmed. The evidence was sufficient, with both witness testimony and physical proof, plus clear motive—everything seemed to have settled in an instant.
An imperial edict was quickly transmitted through the eastern gate of the imperial city: the emperor was critically ill and summoned the Crown Prince to return to the palace immediately.
Qing Xia tightly grasped the hand of the pale and frightened Xiangju, sitting firmly among the crowd. After all, there was no substantial evidence proving her involvement in the witchcraft case, and with the Zhuang family’s power, she hadn’t suffered any particular abuse for the time being. But she deeply understood the principle that when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter—if Chu Li was defeated in this premeditated power struggle, the entire Eastern Palace would be buried with him.
Though she had no good impression of Chu Li, she had to admit she didn’t want him to fall. This upheaval came too strangely, coinciding precisely with Prince Qi’s escape and the confrontation with the State of Qi. Chu Li had most of his energy focused outside the palace, which allowed others to forcibly subdue him with thunderous methods. Moreover, he had only returned to the country for a year—beneath his seemingly glorious surface lay thin ice that could break and kill at any moment. Unstable power was a direct factor in creating rebellion, but Qing Xia had to admit that if not for herself, Chu Li couldn’t have been exploited so easily—after all, Qi An was freed by her.
The many servants from Lanting Palace were imprisoned together with those from Yunxiang Palace in a dilapidated palace. Qing Xia sat with her people in the eastern wing while Concubine Dan and others occupied the central hall outside. The entrance was guarded by numerous fierce guards, windows were sealed, and they were surrounded completely. Qing Xia knew that at this time, the imperial palace must be at its most heavily defended. Since the rebels had carefully planned such a large-scale upheaval, they must have complete preparations and confidence, plus additional plans to ensure they could control the situation after Chu Li and old King Chu died.
At this time, as long as Chu Li stepped half a foot into the imperial palace, he would certainly die without hope of survival. And once he died, it meant everyone in this room would follow him to the underworld. Qing Xia had survived near-death from military explosive shrapnel—she couldn’t die confused in this palace coup.
Forget it. Chu Li had provided her food and drink, and she had occupied his wife’s body and freed his enemy. Today she would repay some of his kindness—while saving herself, she’d lend him a hand too.
“Xiangju, take off your clothes,” Qing Xia whispered in Xiangju’s ear.
The little girl saw Qing Xia quickly strip off her clothes and couldn’t help but ask in surprise: “My lady?”
“If we let the Crown Prince return to the palace, we’re all finished. I need to leave the palace to warn him.”
“No, my lady!” Xiangju was shocked and cried out, but Qing Xia quickly covered her mouth. The little girl immediately signaled she would speak quietly. Only then did Qing Xia remove her hand. Xiangju earnestly grabbed Qing Xia’s arm and said miserably: “There are rebels everywhere outside. My lady must not go out and take risks. His Highness the Crown Prince has great fortune—he will surely eliminate the traitors and come save us.”
“Waiting for him? I’d rather rely on myself.” Qing Xia impatiently removed her clothes and threw them to Xiangju, saying quietly: “Stop being verbose—hurry up!”
“My lady,” Xiangju’s tears immediately flowed out. She knelt on the ground tightly grasping Qing Xia’s hands and cried: “If my lady must go, let Xiangju go instead. It doesn’t matter if Xiangju dies, but my lady has a precious body and cannot suffer any mishap.”
Hearing this, Qing Xia couldn’t help but be moved. Seeing her cry pitifully, she reached out to help her up, smiling as she wiped the tears from her face and said seriously: “Silly girl, no one can die. Stop crying and listen to me. Rest assured—your lady isn’t so easily killed by others.”
After much persuasion, she finally convinced Xiangju to disguise herself as her and stay in the room. At this time of chaos and war, people’s attention was focused on the perimeter—one missing little palace maid wouldn’t be noticed.
The soldiers carrying the imperial edict had already departed some time ago. Qing Xia could only hope to take the direct route through Xihua Gate to possibly intercept Chu Li’s carriage on the road. Wearing a palace maid’s dress, Qing Xia ran through the remote Xiyuan Garden, heading forward when suddenly a figure flashed out from a nearby corner and knocked her to the ground.
Qing Xia rolled forward on the ground and steadied herself. At this time, chaotic voices were everywhere, actually affecting her hearing. A dagger slid from her sleeve—she was about to eliminate the person to avoid exposing her whereabouts. At this time, anyone who could walk freely outside was either a rebel or a rebel accomplice.
But before Qing Xia could act, that person hurriedly scrambled over, helped up Qing Xia’s arm, and quickly said: “How are you? Are you hurt?”
Qing Xia’s heart jolted. Hearing the person’s tone had no hostility at all, she quickly withdrew the dagger that had already reached the man’s chest. At this time, it was better to avoid trouble. She looked aside in confusion and saw not grim armor but a gray-green civil official’s robe with a light green bird embroidered on the chest—apparently a fourth-rank civil official. The man had slender hand bones and the scholarly air unique to literati. Even in such a disheveled state, he still maintained a gentle temperament. He hurriedly helped Qing Xia up, and seeing she was unharmed, said gravely: “Which palace are you a maid from? You’re too bold—daring to wander outside at this time. If caught, it would be a fatal disaster. Go quickly and find somewhere to hide.”
After speaking, he turned and hurried away, also heading toward Xihua Gate where Qing Xia intended to go. Only at this moment did Qing Xia see the man’s appearance clearly. He wasn’t particularly handsome but had clear, pleasant features that were comfortable to look at. His eyebrows were light and distant, his long hair tied up, and his back looked somewhat thin. Watching his running posture, one could tell he rarely exercised—just moving slightly faster made him stumble as if he might fall at any moment.
This person was in a hurry—unclear who he was. Qing Xia secretly became more careful, following closely behind him while still running toward Xihua Gate.
Sudden chaotic footsteps rang out. Qing Xia silently cursed, but before she could warn the man, his whereabouts were already discovered.
“Chief Clerk Lin, in such a hurry—where are you going?” A man in Imperial Guard uniform reached out, his long blade gleaming coldly as he blocked the scholar’s path.
The scholar looked shocked, then stepped back and shouted as if ready to die heroically: “You group of treasonous rebels! I’m going before His Highness the Crown Prince to report your crimes and bring you to justice!”
This idiot!
Qing Xia secretly frowned tightly—he couldn’t even tell a simple lie. She recognized the Imperial Guard officer surnamed Cheng—he was the leader who came to arrest people at the Eastern Palace tonight. Obviously discovering this bookworm’s tracks, he had specifically come to Xihua Gate to intercept. Now this was great—she hadn’t exposed her whereabouts, but a bookworm had suddenly jumped out to cause trouble. Qing Xia watched the outside situation with gritted teeth, wanting to grab that scholar and give him a good beating.