Perhaps Fan Changyu’s question was too direct, and the matter too weighty.
The smile gradually faded from Consort An’s lips. After a long pause, she shook her head and said, “This Grieving One does not know.”
This answer startled Fan Changyu, but then Consort An continued, “In the early winter of the 16th year of Qishun, the battle at Jinzhou was intense. The Sixteenth Prince, who had long been vying for the position of Crown Prince, caused trouble in Luocheng. Although Precious Consort Jia’s side kept it tightly under wraps, there were no completely impenetrable walls. This Grieving One still heard some rumors.”
She looked at Fan Changyu and asked, “Do you know about the trouble the Sixteenth Prince caused?”
Fan Changyu nodded.
If it weren’t for the Sixteenth Prince’s reckless ambition that led to him being trapped in Luocheng, her grandfather wouldn’t have found himself in such a dilemma back then.
Consort An spoke softly, “This Grieving One in the inner palace was unaware of how the late Emperor arranged matters in the outer court, but I imagine he wouldn’t have left the Sixteenth Prince unattended. During that time, Precious Consort Jia also quieted down considerably. It seemed the late Emperor intended to give her the cold shoulder and stopped visiting her palace. He frequently went to Rong Yin’s quarters instead.”
“At that time, This Grieving One also thought that after this incident, both Precious Consort Jia and the Sixteenth Prince would fall out of favor. Once the Crown Prince returned victorious from Jinzhou, what could the Sixteenth Prince use to compete with him for the position of heir apparent?”
“But suddenly, Rong Yin was diagnosed with child.” Consort An paused at this point, either finding the events of that year absurd or for some other reason. Even her hand fingering the prayer beads slowed for a moment. “All the imperial physicians from the entire Imperial Medical Institute were called to examine her, but the determined number of months didn’t match the records in the Jingshi Fang’s service register.”
Fan Changyu suddenly looked up.
There was a hint of sorrow in Consort An’s eyes as well. “Rong Yin was three months pregnant. Counting back, it must have happened around the Mid-Autumn Festival. Indeed, an incident occurred during that year’s Mid-Autumn banquet. Wei Yan drank too much and had a dalliance with a palace maid at the Taiye Pool water pavilion. Unfortunately, the late Emperor and some court officials who had gone to appreciate the moon stumbled upon the scene. It was said that the late Emperor’s face darkened considerably at the time, but since it was just a palace maid, he couldn’t make a big fuss. So he simply bestowed the maid to Wei Yan.”
Fan Changyu immediately thought of how Xie Zheng was set up by the young Emperor on New Year’s Eve.
She furrowed her brow and asked, “Was Wei Yan set up?”
Otherwise, how could it be so coincidental that the late Emperor happened to bring court officials there?
The months of the child in Consort Shu’s womb didn’t match up either, so the one who had the drunken encounter with Wei Yan wasn’t a palace maid at all, but most likely Consort Shu herself.
Consort An merely sighed, “How could This Grieving One know? But undoubtedly, Rong Yin incurred the Emperor’s wrath. All the servants in the entire Qingyuan Palace were beaten to death, yet they couldn’t extract any information. Rong Yin was confined to Qingyuan Palace, with matrons sent daily to interrogate her… about who she had been intimate with. On the night of the Laba Festival, a fire suddenly broke out in Qingyuan Palace. The patrolling Jinwu Guards who went to put out the fire discovered Wei Yan near Qingyuan Palace.”
Fan Changyu asked in disbelief, “Was it Wei Yan who set fire to burn Consort Shu?”
Consort An said, “That’s what was circulating in the palace at the time. This Grieving One and Rong Yin were acquainted. When I heard the news and rushed to Qingyuan Palace, the fire was already too intense for anyone to enter.”
Fan Changyu noticed Consort An’s voice becoming hoarse, and looking up, she saw a crystal tear falling from the corner of her eye.
Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, “Have you ever seen fire licking higher when water is thrown on it to extinguish it?”
She continued, “This Grieving One has. That great fire… it reeked of tung oil.”
Fan Changyu frowned, “Was it the late Emperor who burned Consort Shu to death?”
Consort An took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, barely maintaining a hint of calm in her voice, “This Grieving One couldn’t see Consort Shu one last time. I can’t give the General an accurate account of how she passed, but her Qingyuan Palace… was indeed doused with tung oil by the Jinwu Guards who came to put out the fire.”
“At dawn, the palace was surrounded, with the sound of killing shaking the heavens. This Grieving One narrowly escaped by tightly closing the doors of Shouyang Palace. That day, the entire moat was dyed red with blood, and the white marble steps in front of Taihe Gate couldn’t wash away the smell of blood for a month afterward. All the people in the palace were replaced, and the late Emperor and Precious Consort Jia passed away in succession, overcome with grief. The killing throughout the entire palace before dawn that day seems to exist only in This Grieving One’s memory now, like a dream…”
The incense in the censer wafted above the small Buddhist hall, and the white jade Guanyin enshrined on the altar seemed to exude even more compassion.
Fan Changyu rose with mixed emotions and bowed to Consort An, “Thank you, Consort, for sharing this past event.”
Stepping out of the small Buddhist hall, Fan Changyu took a deep breath of the fresh, crisp air in the wind and snow, watching the birds perched on top of the palace walls for a moment, lost in thought.
The mystery surrounding Wei Yan was becoming increasingly complex.
He had originally been ordered to go and mobilize troops, but halfway through, he handed this important task to her father and returned to the capital himself.
Was it because he had already colluded with Prince Changxin at that time, preparing for the fall of Jinzhou, and returning to the capital early to control the situation in Beijing?
If that were truly the case, with his composure, he shouldn’t have lost patience and sneaked into Consort Shu’s Qingyuan Palace at night.
An even stranger point was, if he was afraid Consort Shu would reveal his involvement and went to kill her to silence her, why did the late Emperor order the Jinwu Guards to douse Consort Shu’s palace with tung oil?
Fan Changyu frowned hard, remembering what Consort An said about Wei Yan getting drunk at the Mid-Autumn banquet and having a dalliance with a palace maid, being caught red-handed by the late Emperor and court officials. She increasingly felt that this incident must have been the late Emperor’s scheme against Wei Yan as well.
Was Wei Yan’s nighttime visit to Qingyuan Palace another instance of the late Emperor catching him in the act? But Wei Yan, being skilled in martial arts, managed to escape, so the late Emperor, in his anger and humiliation, burned Consort Shu to death to vent his fury and then pinned all the blame on Wei Yan.
Did Wei Yan then stage a palace coup to protect himself?
With a mind full of questions, Fan Changyu was heading to Wenyuan Ge to find Xie Zheng when she heard someone calling out to her before she could leave Shouyang Palace: “General Fan, please wait!”
Fan Changyu turned around to see a beautifully dressed palace lady walking towards her. Her elaborate palace attire was embroidered with golden flowers, and her hair was adorned with flower-shaped ornaments. She was as gorgeous as a peony. Despite her quick steps, the tassels on her headdress swayed only slightly, exuding an air of elegance and nobility.
Fan Changyu guessed this must be the Princess and bowed with clasped hands, “Greetings, Princess.”
Qi Shu hurriedly said, “No need for such formalities, General.”
She handed a brocade box to Fan Changyu, “I apologize for stopping you abruptly, but I wanted to entrust you with delivering this item to Mr. Gong Sun.”
Fan Changyu accepted it, feeling it was quite light, unsure of its contents. Thinking that it must be difficult to send messages and items between the palace and the outside world, which was why the Princess had entrusted her with this task, she immediately said, “This humble official will certainly deliver it into Mr. Gong Sun’s hands.”
“Thank you, General.” Qi Shu curtsied slightly to her, and as she turned away, she glanced once more at the box in her hand, a hint of melancholy in her eyes.
Fan Changyu found it somewhat strange and examined the brocade box again before tucking it into her robe and heading toward Wenyuan Ge.
Xie Zheng had used the young Emperor’s shock and subsequent illness as a reason to postpone the early morning court sessions for the past few days. However, after Gong Sun Yin helped screen some of the memorials submitted by court officials, the urgent ones still needed his decision.
Before Fan Changyu entered the hall, she heard Gong Sun Yin’s complaints: “The Three Departments and Six Ministries are all urging to conclude Wei Yan’s case. Look at this old scoundrel’s confession, does he think this is a game?”
He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, slamming a confession in front of Xie Zheng. Despite the cold weather, he was so angry he was fanning himself: “Delaying military intelligence leading to the fall of Jinzhou, he says he feared being held accountable, so he directly carried out a bloody purge of the palace, seized power, and then altered imperial edicts to push all the blame onto Old General Meng. Tell me, who would believe this confession if it were made public? He delayed military operations, but shouldn’t he have been on his way to Jinzhou? How did he end up in the capital?”
Xie Zheng continued writing something on the desk, unmoved as a mountain.
Gong Sun Yin pulled out a second sheet from his robe and slammed it on the desk again: “Look, this is his new confession after I asked him why he returned to the capital early. Now he’s changed his story, admitting that the Jinzhou bloodbath was his design. His reason? He disagreed politically with Crown Prince Chengde, and to monopolize power and achieve his grand ambitions, he deliberately gave Wei Qilin a fake tiger tally for Chongzhou…”
Fan Changyu knew that this statement was likely another false confession from Wei Yan. The tiger tally her father took was genuine.
She stepped in and asked, “Has Wei Yan confessed to the crime of defiling the palace?”
“General Fan, you’re back?” Gong Sun Yin glanced at the door, greeted Fan Changyu with a smile, and then answered, “He hasn’t confessed. He refuses to mention this matter at all…”
The person who had been bent over the desk marking documents in red finally raised his head when Fan Changyu entered the hall. He pulled out a chair for her, and Fan Changyu sat down beside him as naturally as could be.
Gong Sun Yin pretended not to notice and continued, “It’s strange. He’s admitted to so many heinous crimes of the ages, both those he committed and those he didn’t, without batting an eye. But this crime of licentious misconduct, he consistently avoids…”
There was a light clink of a teacup as Xie Zheng poured another cup of tea and passed it over. “It’s cold and snowy outside. Have some tea to warm up.”
Fan Changyu was indeed thirsty and lifted the cup to take a big gulp.
Gong Sun Yin’s mouth twitched slightly. He had known this fellow for so many years and had never seen him voluntarily serve tea to anyone.
He barely managed to contain himself and continued his analysis: “The palace maid in the Cold Palace who fell into Qi Sheng’s hands was also killed by Wei Yan. I’m starting to think that Wei Yan’s affair with Consort Shu might be true, but he’s been trying to cover it up…”
“It’s still early for mealtime. If you’re hungry, there are some snacks here to tide you over,” the clear, cool voice across from them spoke up again.
Gong Sun Yin watched in disbelief as the usually stern man pulled out a food box from behind him and took out a plate of pastries to hand to Fan Changyu. He finally couldn’t hold back anymore.
Fan Changyu had just accepted the plate when she heard a loud bang.
She turned to see Gong Sun Yin standing up, both hands planted on the desk, a vein throbbing at his temple. “Xie Jiuheng, that’s enough!”
Fan Changyu was startled for a moment. After taking a piece of pastry for herself, she pushed the entire plate towards Gong Sun Yin, her almond-shaped eyes looking utterly innocent.
The meaning was clear: “Here, eat this.”
Gong Sun Yin nearly fainted from anger.
To make matters worse, Xie Zheng chose this moment to speak coldly: “Don’t mind him.”
Gong Sun Yin couldn’t help but roar, “Xie Jiuheng, there will be a time when you’ll need my help! I’ve been talking for so long…”
Xie Zheng interrupted him: “Consort Shu was a descendant of the Qi family. Wei Yan once received teachings from Old General Qi.”
Gong Sun Yin’s anger subsided, and his disconnected thoughts instantly reconnected: “So Wei Yan is covering this up to avoid tarnishing the Qi family’s reputation?”
After all, Old General Qi and his sons had all died in battle, and the Qi family could rightfully claim the title of a family of loyal martyrs. Crown Prince Chengde also embodied the spirit of the Qi family, earning widespread support from the people.
For such a family of loyal martyrs, if a consort emerged who was of loose morals, it would indeed disgrace the family name.
Fan Changyu thought for a moment and said, “I think Wei Yan is doing it for Consort Shu’s reputation. He had a relationship with Consort Shu, and he committed heinous crimes that will be revealed for generations. Admitting to an affair with Consort Shu would only subject her to continued condemnation by future generations along with him.”
Throughout history, those consorts who moved between emperors and ministers are still infamous to this day. The descriptions in unofficial histories are even more unspeakable, becoming topics of gossip for ruffians and loafers.
For ordinary women, even the slightest association with such a scandalous reputation would leave them with no choice but to drown themselves to preserve their purity.
Gong Sun Yin sat back down and said, “If that’s the case, it’s quite remarkable. Would someone as cold-hearted as Wei Yan go to such lengths for a woman?”
Fan Changyu then shared with them what she had heard from Consort An.
After listening, both Xie Zheng and Gong Sun Yin fell silent.
Fan Changyu said, “If the late Emperor had once set Wei Yan up, then Consort Shu’s death and that palace coup might also be suspicious. However, there’s one thing I still can’t understand. If Wei Yan cared about Consort Shu’s reputation even after her death, why did he abandon her and escape alone when he was discovered sneaking into Qingyuan Palace by the imperial guards back then?”
Xie Zheng remained silent.
Gong Sun Yin rubbed his brow: “It couldn’t be that the old scoundrel Wei Yan knew he couldn’t save Consort Shu at the time and was unwilling to die with her, so he fled. Now, after tasting power for all these years, he feels guilty towards Consort Shu and wants to make amends?”
Fan Changyu didn’t respond either.
If it was truly as Gong Sun Yin said, then Wei Yan’s current unwillingness to let Consort Shu’s name be tainted would seem rather laughable.
“In my opinion, why don’t we just conclude this case as it is?” Gong Sun Yin suddenly said.
Both Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng remained silent.
Gong Sun Yin tapped the table with his fan handle: “The masterminds behind the Jinzhou bloodbath were undoubtedly Wei Yan and Sui Tuo. The Sui family is extinct, and Wei Yan has been brought to justice. The false charges against Old General Meng can be cleared, and with Wei Yan’s death, the lives he owed would be considered repaid. Isn’t this an explanation for the unjustly killed soldiers in Jinzhou and the people?”
Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng still said nothing, so Gong Sun Yin continued, “We can’t pry open Wei Yan’s mouth, and we can’t keep dragging this on. The new emperor… needs to prepare for his ascension, doesn’t he?”
After another moment of silence, a calm yet firm voice spoke: “We cannot conclude the case.”
Gong Sun Yin looked up, and Xie Zheng also turned slightly.
Daylight streamed through the half-open window into the hall, clear and bright. The young female general sat on a cushion in her soft armor, her long lashes slightly lowered, her features stern, exuding an air of heroism.
Gong Sun Yin asked, “Why not?”
Fan Changyu raised her head, her eyes as vast as a shimmering sea in the sunlight: “We’ve all reached these positions; we shouldn’t make such a muddled conclusion. Even in the courtyard of a seventh-rank county magistrate’s office, there hangs a plaque that reads ‘Clear Mirror Held High,’ demanding justice and fairness. Wei Yan harmed my parents and ruined my grandfather’s good name. I hate him to the bone, and he has indeed committed many evil deeds and deserves to die, but it shouldn’t be in such a confused manner.”
Her gaze was resolute: “The Jinzhou bloodbath needs the truth, the real truth.”
Not a muddled situation where Wei Yan dies, and the past events are considered settled, with vengeance repaid and grudges resolved.
Wei Yan’s death would only bury the truth of that time forever.
The last trace of casualness disappeared from Gong Sun Yin’s eyes, and he regarded Fan Changyu with the most serious look he had ever given.
The girl before him still had that same lonely courage and sincerity as before, but now that sincerity and courage were mixed with something else, something weighty. It wasn’t like the majesty of high mountains, but something more vast, like the thick earth beneath their feet, stretching endlessly.
Only in such thick soil could towering peaks rise.
This realization stunned Gong Sun Yin for a long time until Xie Zheng’s voice brought him back to his senses.
“Continue investigating the Jinzhou case.” This was said to Fan Changyu. Then, to Gong Sun Yin: “Start preparing for the new emperor’s ascension.”
Gong Sun Yin agreed, but as he stood up, he bowed solemnly to Fan Changyu: “I am ashamed of my earlier words.”
This gesture made Fan Changyu feel somewhat embarrassed, and she said, “Mr. Gong Sun was also considering the current situation.”
She handed the brocade box from Princess Qi Shu to Gong Sun: “Oh, I almost forgot the Princess’s request. She asked me to pass this box to you, sir.”
When Gong Sun Yin received the box, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked, “Did the Princess have any message for General Fan to convey along with it?”
Fan Changyu replied honestly, “No, nothing else.”
“I see. Well then, thank you, General Fan.” Gong Sun Yin smiled, but his smile seemed less carefree than before.
After Gong Sun Yin left, Fan Changyu discussed with Xie Zheng: “Did you notice something odd about Mr. Gong Sun after he received that brocade box?”
Xie Zheng embraced her from behind: “He has been avoiding the Princess for so many years, but the Princess’s age doesn’t allow her to wait any longer.”
Before Fan Changyu could fully understand his cryptic words, she felt a weight on her shoulder as Xie Zheng rested his chin in the crook of her neck.
“Thank you,” he said in a hoarse voice.
With Wei Yan dead, he might never know the true reason for his father’s death.
How could she not hate Wei Yan for her parents’ vengeance and the Meng family’s unjust treatment? Wei Yan’s death would mean her great revenge was truly achieved.
But she had rejected Gong Sun Yin’s proposal.
Fan Changyu turned her head and smiled at him: “The unjust deaths of General Xie and Crown Prince Chengde need the truth, as do the thousands of soldiers who died in Jinzhou.”
She placed her palm over his hand around her waist, her gaze as pure and sincere as ever: “We’ll search together. We’ll surely find it.”
The turning point came after Yu Qianqian arrived in the capital.
Fan Changyu hadn’t mentioned anything about Qi Min to Yu Qianqian, but with her and Xie Zheng’s extensive investigation into Wei Yan and the Sui family, Yu Qianqian eventually caught wind of it.
A country cannot go a day without a ruler. When Xie Zheng discussed the matter of promoting Yu Bao’er to the throne with Tang Peiyi and others, they inevitably faced another problem: Qi Min was still clinging to life.
What kind of death should be given to this imperial grandson?
Although Yu Bao’er was still young and had no filial bond with Qi Min, Tang Peiyi and others still didn’t agree with Xie Zheng directly killing Qi Min, citing the natural bond between father and son. They worried that Yu Bao’er might be influenced by others in the future, leaving hidden troubles.
Fan Changyu wasn’t afraid of this and spoke frankly: “I’ll do it. That child is sensible and knows his birth father wasn’t a good person. Even if, in the worst-case scenario, he resents me in the future, it was I who saved him from Qi Min’s blade when Qi Min wanted to kill him. I’m not afraid of that child hating me.”
Xie Zheng discreetly gripped her wrist, signaling her not to argue further.
“I’ll go,” he repeated in a low, calm tone. It wasn’t a request for opinion, but a statement.
Tang Peiyi was about to persuade him further when a voice suddenly came from the doorway: “Marquis, Generals, this humble one can go.”
Everyone looked up to see a graceful woman pushing open the door.
Fan Changyu was startled: “Qianqian, why are you here?”
The other generals and advisors were not familiar with Yu Qianqian, and their faces showed respect towards this future Empress Dowager.
Yu Qianqian looked at Fan Changyu and said, “I know you mean well. Bao’er and I already owe you and the Marquis so much. Let me be the one to kill Qi Min. It will not only eliminate him but also help uncover the collusion between the Sui family and Wei Yan. It’s all benefit and no harm.”
Any further persuasion from Fan Changyu was blocked by Yu Qianqian’s words.
In the end, she only looked at Yu Qianqian and said, “Then I’ll accompany you.”