Married princesses could decide for themselves whether to live in their princess manor or at their husband’s family home.

When young, Princess Imperial Fucheng and Prince Consort Marquis Jining had enjoyed two or three years of affection. But however noble a princess might be, once she became someone’s daughter-in-law, outsiders would naturally apply certain filial piety rules to her. If Princess Imperial Fucheng acted arrogant and domineering before her parents-in-law, she inevitably faced criticism. Yet if she truly respected her consort’s parents as her own to avoid gossip, Princess Imperial Fucheng was unwilling to force herself.

So she moved back to her own manor with her children, maintaining distance from her consort’s family. Not seeing them meant no need to observe empty courtesies.

When Marquis Jining developed the common ailment of most men and began secretly taking maid servants behind Princess Imperial Fucheng’s back, she too found herself a handsome male companion. From then on, only the formal marital relationship remained between the couple. They basically lived separate lives. Princess Imperial Fucheng left her two sons to her husband’s family while personally raising her daughter.

But husband and wife were still husband and wife. Now that Princess Imperial Fucheng was suspected of sending people to destroy the canal, Emperor Yongchang simultaneously placed both households under house arrest.

Completely unprepared, Princess Imperial Fucheng still didn’t know the outside situation when Ye Shanglin personally arrived with a team of Imperial Guards in regular clothes, bearing an imperially-bestowed token requesting the princess imperial’s cooperation.

Princess Imperial Fucheng struggled to maintain her composure. “I wonder what matter prompts Imperial Brother to do this?”

Ye Shanglin: “This humble subject acts on the emperor’s verbal decree and knows nothing else whatsoever.”

Having spoken, he arranged for the Imperial Guards he’d brought to respectively guard all the large and small gates of the princess imperial’s manor, rotating day and night. Two more stood outside the princess imperial’s bedchamber door. No matter whom the princess imperial wished to see in the manor, a guard had to be present to listen.

The Imperial Guard Commander was impartially iron-faced. Princess Imperial Fucheng returned to her bedchamber with a heavy heart.

She thought of the two assassins she’d sent to Liangzhou.

If the two men completed their assignment smoothly and destroyed the Fengyan Canal, the express memorial from Liangzhou would indeed reach the capital before the two assassins. But if only the canal was destroyed without anyone being caught, Imperial Brother couldn’t possibly suspect her immediately.

Therefore, at least one of the two assassins had been caught. They exposed the Du family, but Imperial Brother felt both Prince Qing’s and the Fourth Prince’s factions were suspect, so he confined both sides simultaneously, waiting until Liangzhou escorted the criminals to the capital before turning them over to the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs for thorough interrogation?

The two assassins’ wives and children were all in her hands. Princess Imperial Fucheng didn’t believe they dared betray her.

Thinking this way, Princess Imperial Fucheng’s emotions stabilized again. She only hoped her daughter’s side wouldn’t show any flaws.

Today Zheng Yuanzhen was in quite good spirits.

Emperor Yongchang had actually brought Empress Zhou to visit her and her son. Although the imperial couple would also go to Prince Hui’s Manor, this at least indicated that Liangzhou currently had no problems. Even better, this afternoon Prince Qing sent a letter from Lingshan. After venting complaints about Prince Kang, Prince Qing estimated he could return to the capital on the evening of the twenty-fifth.

Zheng Yuanzhen didn’t particularly miss Prince Qing, but the more suffering Prince Qing described in his letter, the more it showed he’d handled this assignment diligently enough. Even if forced, he’d achieved the same diligence as Prince Kang. Moreover, of the five thousand mu of wild forest Xu Dongyang had marked out, four thousand mu had been confirmed through inspection as suitable for reclamation. Such a great political achievement equally beneficial for millennia to come—even if Prince Qing only received credit for inspection, it was worth the emperor viewing him favorably once.

While Prince Qing climbed mountains and rushed about outside with Prince Kang, Zheng Yuanzhen leisurely stayed home accompanying Sanlang.

For nearly a year, Prince Qing’s Manor had rarely received guests. On Prince Qing’s side, ever since he received Emperor Yongchang’s reprimand last June, officials dared not curry favor with him, and Prince Qing dared not actively summon any officials, lest he further displease Father Emperor. As for Zheng Yuanzhen, because of the matter of breaking her engagement with Prince Hui, she had long since severed contact with most noble ladies in the capital. After Prince Qing lost face, those female relatives still willing to flatter her also reduced their visits.

Only two regular visitors remained: first, Zheng Yuanzhen’s mother Princess Imperial Fucheng; second, Second Aunt from Zheng Yuanzhen’s paternal clan. The princess imperial wasn’t close to Marquis Jining’s Manor, yet the marquis’s manor dared not openly slight the princess imperial and her daughter, so they sent the marquis manor’s Second Lady to maintain surface harmony with Zheng Yuanzhen.

Second Lady would come about three times a month. After Sanlang’s birth, Mother would come every three to five days.

By the evening of the twenty-fourth of the fourth month, Princess Imperial Fucheng hadn’t come for seven consecutive days.

Having a guilty conscience, Zheng Yuanzhen suddenly grew uneasy. Could something have gone wrong on the Liangzhou side, preventing Mother from coming?

On the morning of the twenty-fifth, Zheng Yuanzhen sent one of her personal maids to check on the princess imperial’s manor.

About two quarters of an hour after the maid left, Consort Rou from the palace sent someone to bring the mother and son into the palace to talk.

Consort Rou was Sanlang’s paternal grandmother. Doting on her grandson and extending such an invitation was only natural. Zheng Yuanzhen thought nothing of it, tidied up, and set out with Sanlang and the wet nurse.

Consort Rou lived in Yanfu Palace. When Zheng Yuanzhen followed the guiding palace servants over, she was surprised to discover Emperor Yongchang was also there, smiling as he accompanied Consort Rou in admiring two pots of peonies.

Zheng Yuanzhen felt this was strange. Morning should be Emperor Yongchang’s busiest time—how did he have leisure to come over?

After performing her courtesies, Consort Rou explained with a smile, “The emperor missed Sanlang and specifically had you bring him over to see.”

Zheng Yuanzhen instinctively looked toward Sanlang in the wet nurse’s arms. Sanlang had been premature, weighing only just over five jin at birth. Fortunately he’d been well cared for these two months and now weighed nine jin. His face was fair and clean—a very beautiful little imperial grandson.

Zheng Yuanzhen didn’t doubt Emperor Yongchang’s affection for Sanlang.

The wet nurse delivered Sanlang into Emperor Yongchang’s embrace.

Emperor Yongchang held Sanlang with his left hand and pinched Sanlang’s little fist with his right, praising to Consort Rou, “Simply identical to Third Son when he was small.”

Consort Rou smiled. She was a beauty herself—naturally her children and grandchildren’s appearances wouldn’t be lacking.

Emperor Yongchang then looked at Zheng Yuanzhen with kindly eyes, saying word by word, “The canal in Liangzhou has breached.”

Zheng Yuanzhen was first stunned, then her pupils contracted sharply. The color in her face almost disappeared completely in an instant.

Emperor Yongchang looked around at the circle of people, including Consort Rou—all showing bewildered expressions because he’d changed topics too abruptly.

Consort Rou even asked, “The Liangzhou canal? The newly completed Fengyan Canal?”

Emperor Yongchang: “No, a small canal in another county. Fortunately it was discovered in time and didn’t cause a major disaster.”

Consort Rou breathed a sigh of relief. If the locality truly suffered a great disaster, the emperor’s mood would surely worsen again, and these consorts would have to live in trepidation along with him.

But why had the emperor suddenly mentioned this matter out of nowhere?

Consort Rou looked at her daughter-in-law whose complexion wasn’t right.

At this moment, Emperor Yongchang had the nearby palace servants and Sanlang’s wet nurse all withdraw.

Consort Rou panicked. She left her seat and asked, “Your Majesty, what exactly has happened?”

Emperor Yongchang looked at Zheng Yuanzhen, holding Sanlang’s little hand as he said, “If you tell the truth, I will continue to acknowledge this grandson. Otherwise…”

The majesty of an emperor pressed down like Mount Tai. Zheng Yuanzhen could no longer hold up. Crying, she knelt down and choked out, “Uncle, it was all Mother’s idea alone. She always wanted me to become the middle palace empress. When Second Cousin had no chance, she married me to Third Cousin. Later when Third Cousin’s bandit suppression went poorly, I worried along with him. Mother feared something would happen to the child in my womb, so she said she would send people to destroy the canal. If the canal was destroyed, Father Emperor would blame Eldest Cousin who inspected it and would value Third Cousin more highly. I would still have a chance.”

“Uncle, I dared not covet becoming middle palace empress and was even more afraid the canal destruction would cause disaster. I begged Mother not to do this. But Mother said she would choose an unimportant canal section to act on—at most flooding one field area, absolutely not harming common people. Later no matter how I tried to persuade her, she wouldn’t listen…”

Zheng Yuanzhen’s tears flowed more and more fiercely. She couldn’t even see Emperor Yongchang and Sanlang ahead clearly.

She cried first because the matter was exposed, second because to protect herself she had no choice but to distance herself from Mother, third for whatever punishment Mother would receive, fourth for whether she could preserve herself and her child.

She cried sincerely. Those words she spoke sounded naturally and utterly true. Moreover, except for not desperately persuading Mother to death, everything else was indeed true.

Emperor Yongchang assessed the niece before him with an expressionless face.

Crying, Zheng Yuanzhen crawled before Emperor Yongchang, grasping his robe hem. “Uncle, Mother was possessed by demons. If the Fengyan Canal truly breached, you may punish her however you wish. But if the Fengyan Canal is still fine and caused no flood disaster, Uncle, please at least spare Mother’s life. She is your own younger sister!”

She didn’t want Mother to die. Didn’t want Mother to die.

Consort Rou had long since frozen to one side. Although the crime Princess Imperial Fucheng committed had nothing to do with her, the princess imperial had done such things to push her Third Son into position…

Noticing Emperor Yongchang looking toward her, Consort Rou’s legs went soft. She immediately cried too, tearfully begging Emperor Yongchang to see clearly.

Emperor Yongchang ignored her and continued questioning Zheng Yuanzhen. “This matter—does Prince Qing know?”

Zheng Yuanzhen shook her head repeatedly. This time she didn’t need to hide anything at all, because Prince Qing had indeed been kept completely in the dark by her and Mother.

Emperor Yongchang fell silent for a moment, handed the child to Consort Rou, and stood. “When Prince Qing returns this evening, I will personally interrogate him. Afterward I’ll decide how to deal with you all.”

As Emperor Yongchang departed, several palace servants from outside closed Yanfu Palace’s gates, prohibiting those inside from leaving.

Near dusk, the figures of Prince Kang, Prince Qing, and their accompanying guards and attendants appeared outside the Imperial City, galloping wildly on horseback. The party only slowed when approaching the city gates.

The city guards recognized the two princes and cheerfully let them through.

At this hour it certainly wasn’t convenient to enter the palace to report. Prince Kang was just about to bid farewell to Third Brother when Prince Qing spurred his horse forward first, only perfunctorily leaving behind, “Elder Brother, take your time. I’m leaving first.”

Prince Kang, a full six years Prince Qing’s senior, was quite displeased. Third Brother usually seemed like a proper person, but unexpectedly his attitude while handling assignments outside was so poor. Now he didn’t even observe the most basic fraternal courtesies!

He complained about Prince Qing in his heart. Prince Qing was also cursing Prince Kang thoroughly in his own heart, then headed straight toward his own prince’s manor. Unexpectedly, just as he turned a corner at a necessary intersection, he saw a tall, stern figure standing ahead—none other than one of Father Emperor’s favorites: Imperial Guard Commander Ye Shanglin.

Prince Qing could be disrespectful to Prince Kang, but before important officials he dared not be presumptuous. He politely reined in his horse and inquired what the matter was.

Ye Shanglin: “The emperor requests the prince enter the palace immediately for questioning.”

Prince Qing sensed something wrong, but no matter how he speculated, he couldn’t figure out what he’d bungled this time. He had climbed through and inspected all five thousand eight hundred mu of mountain forest without missing a single day alongside Prince Kang.

Prince Qing thus entered the palace in muddle-headed confusion mixed with paranoid suspicion.

From when he left the capital to his return was a full twenty-eight days. Of these twenty-eight days, except for two rainy days when he only accompanied Prince Kang in discreetly visiting villagers, the remaining twenty-six days were spent either on mountains or galloping wildly on horseback. Wind-blown and sun-baked, the flabby flesh Prince Qing had grown during his dispirited first half of the year had become firm again. He’d also darkened a shade. Except for his uneasy gaze, he still looked very much like someone who had diligently handled his assignment.

But Emperor Yongchang knew Third Son had been completely forced by Eldest Son to run everywhere. When Eldest Son carefully examined the excavated polygonatum rhizomes, Third Son only went through the motions on the side. When Eldest Son held an umbrella in town asking common people their views on clearing land to plant polygonatum, Third Son hid in a tea house sitting and drinking tea, even disdaining the poor quality tea leaves…

This was a waste with lofty aspirations who couldn’t accomplish anything. He only thought about earning merit but didn’t know merit wouldn’t fall into his hands on its own.

After Prince Qing entered, Eunuch Wang and Ye Shanglin stood guard on Emperor Yongchang’s left and right respectively.

Prince Qing secretly glanced at their robe hems. What did this mean?

Emperor Yongchang suddenly slapped the table and roared angrily, “Kneel!”

Prince Qing dropped to his knees with a thud, looking over anxiously yet innocently. “Father Emperor, did this son make some error?”

Emperor Yongchang sneered coldly. “Error? You sent people to breach the canal I just had built, and you ask me what wrong you committed?”

Prince Qing was shocked. “The Fengyan Canal? This is an injustice! This son has been in Lingshan this entire month and absolutely did not send anyone to breach the canal. I beg Father Emperor to see clearly!”

Emperor Yongchang walked before Prince Qing, lowering his head to look down at this son.

Prince Qing’s eyes widened. He hadn’t done it, so he hadn’t done it!

Emperor Yongchang’s angry expression remained unchanged. “You didn’t send anyone, but someone did it on your behalf.”

Prince Qing’s widened eyes suddenly twitched. By some strange compulsion he thought of Maternal Grandfather. Could Maternal Grandfather, like him, verbally curse Wei Shi as vicious but upon reflection afterward find it feasible, so Maternal Grandfather…

He hadn’t finished thinking when Emperor Yongchang kicked out. “You scoundrel—so you knew after all!”

His niece knew but didn’t report. He could understand her timidity and fear. But Third Son was a prince, his own son. How could this unfilial son destroy Father Emperor’s achievements? How could a prince ambitious and eager to compete for the heir apparent position personally place the common people of a region into fire and water?

Prince Qing was kicked backward by this foot. The back of his head struck the floor with an incomparably clear dull thud.

Prince Qing was in pain, but he was still wronged. He crawled up to kneel properly again, crying and kowtowing. “Father Emperor, please calm your anger. This matter truly wasn’t this son’s doing. It was Mater… it was Shen Shiyan who grew old and muddle-headed…”

Trembling, he spoke of how Wei Shi had cruelly helped him come up with this idea, how he should never have been bewitched into running to discuss it with Shen Shiyan.

“The old gentleman scolded this son bloody and left me deeply ashamed at the time. How could this son imagine he was only humoring me and went and did this unconscionable deed himself!”

Emperor Yongchang: “…”

If Zheng Yuanzhen hadn’t already confessed, if he wasn’t clear about Shen Shiyan’s caution and righteousness, he would have been led astray by Third Son’s words!

At least Zheng Yuanzhen exposed her own mother because Princess Imperial Fucheng truly did evil deeds. But Shen Shiyan righteously admonished his grandson not to walk the wrong path, yet nearly got harmed by Third Son into being unable to enjoy his remaining years peacefully…

“So you really did contemplate destroying the canal!”

Burning with rage, Emperor Yongchang kicked Prince Qing again, hating him for craving glory and success, being stubborn and self-willed, perfunctory and irresponsible, disloyal to emperor and father, unfriendly to elder brothers, unfilial to maternal grandfather, and unfeeling toward common people!

Prince Qing was kicked to the ground again. His chest and the back of his head hurt together. In pain and fear, he prostrated himself on the ground, tearfully begging Father Emperor’s forgiveness.

Emperor Yongchang took two deep breaths, turned and ordered Ye Shanglin, “Send Prince Qing’s family home. Without my decree, they may not go out.”

Still shedding tears, Prince Qing was dumbfounded. His whole family?