Early the next morning, Xiao Shao and Jiang Ruan emerged from their tent and headed back toward the main camp at the edge of the dense forest. They had slept well the previous night. Xiao Shao, being experienced in outdoor travel, was quite skilled at keeping wild beasts at bay, and with the medicinal powder he carried to repel snakes, insects, rats, and ants, nothing had disturbed them. Today was the time to return and compare their hunting spoils, though it remained unknown who would win the Emperor’s prize. Xiao Shao’s hunting spoils were casually bundled together and strapped to the back of his horse. His ambitions lay elsewhere, and Jiang Ruan had no particular interest in the so-called prize either. Rather than hunting, the two had essentially been sightseeing. Their game was limited, but each piece had its own distinctive characteristics.

When they returned to camp, they discovered that many people had already returned, all with abundant harvests. Seeing the married couple return together with Xuan Pei caused quite a stir among the crowd. Xuan Pei explained the situation to the Emperor, and upon hearing about the fierce beasts in the forest, the Emperor frowned and immediately ordered an investigation into the officials responsible for managing the hunting grounds. Jiang Ruan pondered silently – the Emperor’s reaction clearly indicated he had not received any prior reports about this matter, suggesting that these wild beasts hadn’t encountered other young hunters, but had specifically targeted them. The wolf pack that Gu Yi had encountered earlier was likely just because he happened to be walking ahead of Xuan Pei and stumbled into them.

As she was thinking, Jiang Xinzhi and Zhao Jin also returned, with Gu Yi and the remaining attendants following behind. The relationship between Zhao Jin and Jiang Xinzhi no longer seemed as awkward as before, appearing much more natural. Jiang Xinzhi dismounted and immediately approached the Emperor, apparently also discussing the beast incident. The Emperor’s expression was grim as water, his earlier lightheartedness completely vanished.

Jiang Ruan’s gaze fell upon several beauties sitting leisurely in front of the tents. Wang Lian’er was delicately beautiful and gentle, emanating a faint scholarly air. Mu Xirou was cold as frost yet gorgeous as peach blossoms. As for Jiang Dan, she was smiling as she observed the people around her, seeming quite satisfied with today’s pleasant atmosphere.

Jiang Ruan silently averted her gaze. Jiang Dan had gone to great lengths to orchestrate this situation, releasing wild beasts that specifically targeted only a few of them, yet knowing full well that the beasts couldn’t possibly kill them – there had to be some ulterior motive. Jiang Ruan could roughly guess what it was, but… as her gaze swept around the returned crowd, she understood clearly. Indeed, if that was truly the case, Jiang Dan was taking an enormous gamble this time.

Then they saw a man stumbling toward them from the distance, covered in blood and barely recognizable as a palace guard. The appearance of this bloodied figure immediately caused the numerous female relatives present to scream in panic. The Emperor’s personal guards quickly intercepted the man, who seemed unable to support himself and collapsed to the ground. Only then could everyone see clearly that an arrow had pierced through his back and chest – he was clearly beyond saving. He raised his face, and someone recognized him as one of the Crown Prince’s guards. In the next moment, this dying man struggled to utter a few words: “Save… save His Highness the Crown Prince.” Having said this, his head tilted to one side, and he died.

The Emperor was startled. Over the years, though the Crown Prince lacked virtue and talent, holding only an empty title, the realm could not be entrusted to such a person. The Crown Prince would eventually need to be replaced, but among his sons who all harbored their own schemes, the Crown Prince was at least someone without much cunning. In the palace, the Emperor had once been blessed with many children, but any son who was even slightly simple-minded had died in various open and covert struggles. The Crown Prince was his eldest son and the Empress’s child – the Emperor always held some affection for him. Thus, over the years in the palace, though he had neglected him, he had never stripped him of his crown prince position, and sometimes even had his subordinates secretly protect him. Hearing today that something had happened to the Crown Prince, the Emperor’s expression immediately changed.

Wang Lian’er quickly stood up, walked to the Emperor’s side, and gently patted his back to help him calm down. She was accustomed to such gentle and understanding gestures, saying softly, “Your Majesty, please don’t be anxious first. Have people search the dense forest. His Highness the Crown Prince is blessed by fortune and will surely have divine protection.”

The Emperor dispatched people to search the dense forest. With this incident, no one had any heart left to pay attention to the hunting competition. With something happening to the Crown Prince himself, everyone secretly prayed that His Highness would be safe and not provoke the fury of the Son of Heaven, lest they become collateral damage.

In just a short while, the searching Imperial Guards indeed returned, with one of them carrying the barely breathing Crown Prince on his back. Upon seeing this, the Emperor’s expression darkened further. The Crown Prince was covered in blood, and the leading guard hurriedly reported, “His Highness the Crown Prince is severely injured. Your Majesty, all the guards around His Highness have been killed – it appears he was ambushed.”

“What are you all standing around for? Quickly summon the imperial physicians!” the Emperor roared angrily.

The accompanying imperial physician immediately stepped forward. The guards carried the Crown Prince into a tent and laid him on a bed. After the physician emerged from examining him, everyone held their breath as they watched him. The physician wiped the sweat from his brow and immediately knelt down, saying, “Your Majesty, this humble servant is incompetent. His Highness the Crown Prince’s injuries are too severe – the arrow pierced through his chest. I fear… there is little hope of recovery.”

“Nonsense!” The Emperor kicked the kneeling old physician aside and raged, “I’m giving you only one path – if you cannot cure the Crown Prince, you won’t need to keep that head of yours! I don’t support you people to hear the words ‘little hope of recovery’!”

The old physician had no choice but to tremblingly return to the tent. However, with the limited medicinal supplies they had brought, and the Crown Prince’s injuries brooking no delay, they still needed to set off and return to the palace first.

The Emperor was already in a mad fury. No one had expected that what should have been a pleasant hunting competition for prizes would end this way. The Emperor stormed off in anger, leaving behind a group of bewildered people who could only look at each other helplessly. Xuan Li’s smile was as warm as spring breeze as he looked meaningfully at Xuan Hua beside him and sighed, “Fifth Brother, it’s truly a pity that something happened to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Xuan Hua returned his smile, speaking with hidden meaning, “Yes, truly a pity.”

Jiang Ruan lowered her eyes, quietly looking toward Jiang Dan in the distance. Jiang Dan seemed to sense her gaze, turned her head, and smiled slightly at Jiang Ruan with a hint of smugness.

Xuan Pei walked over from the side, frowning, “That woman is truly an eyesore.” Clumsy methods, narrow vision, yet always employing vicious tactics – like a venomous snake that would inevitably become a disaster if left unchecked.

“Don’t worry,” a strange light flashed in Jiang Ruan’s eyes, “soon she won’t be an eyesore anymore.”

…

A strange atmosphere permeated the palace. Ever since the barely breathing Crown Prince had been carried back, the Emperor’s expression had been colder than ice in June. Only then did the palace servants realize that the Emperor actually cared so deeply for this eldest son whom he usually seemed to pay little attention to. This incident with the Crown Prince was clearly someone’s design – being ambushed in the dense forest showed that the perpetrators were extremely arrogant, practically not taking the Emperor seriously at all.

However, regarding who was behind this, various rumors circulated throughout the court. With the Fifth Prince and Eighth Prince now competing in secret, plus an unfathomable Thirteenth Prince, any one of them could potentially want the Crown Prince dead. If it was truly discovered to be one of them, the political winds in the court would likely shift again.

Not only was the front court unsettled, the rear palace was also in turmoil. Upon learning of the Crown Prince’s incident, the Empress had a huge fight with the Emperor. For years, the Empress had been virtually powerless in the palace, not involving herself in harem affairs. Now that her only son had suffered such a fate right under everyone’s noses, years of resentment toward the Emperor erupted overnight, and she actually spoke disrespectfully to the Emperor. Though the Emperor understood she spoke this way out of concern for the Crown Prince, his years in high position had fostered an unquestionable temperament. He immediately punished the Empress severely.

Previously, no matter how distant the relationship between Emperor and Empress had been, it had never reached the point of complete breakdown. With all the various discussions, the Emperor finally lost even his last bit of respect for the Empress. The mistress of the rear palace would inevitably change hands. Noble Consort De, for the sake of the Fifth Prince, had already stepped back and rarely appeared anymore. Now the three beauties in greatest favor each had their own strengths – it was indeed unknown where fortune would fall.

Regardless of outside discussions, everyone continued with their own affairs. Jiang Dan felt exceptionally pleased, probably because her plan had succeeded. The Emperor had been guarding the Crown Prince these past few days, and his quarrel with the Empress had left him irritated and unwilling to set foot in the rear palace, sweeping away the gloom that Jiang Quan’s matter had cast over her recent days. Though Jiang Quan’s situation still had no resolution, Jiang Ruan was about to face misfortune.

She wore a gold-threaded gauze dress and styled her hair in a hundred-flower arrangement, carefully adorning herself with earrings and hairpins. The tinkling of jewelry made the woman in the mirror appear even more charming due to her beautiful appearance. Seeming satisfied that this attire no longer made her look old and dowdy, Jiang Dan contentedly pursed her lips and applied the final touch of rouge.

“Is Jiang Zhaoyi dressing up like this for Father Emperor?” A low male voice sounded from behind her, carrying an unfamiliar hint of frivolity. “Father Emperor truly has good fortune.”

Jiang Dan turned around to see Xuan Hua entering from outside and taking a seat in Jiang Dan’s sleeping quarters. It was already near nightfall, and tonight the Emperor would rest in Wang Lian’er’s quarters, so he wouldn’t come here. Seeing Xuan Hua enter so boldly, Jiang Dan was first startled, then relaxed. Hearing his words, she replied half resentfully, half teasingly, “Your Highness the Fifth Prince, seeing where His Majesty is at this moment, why speak such words that wound this concubine’s heart? No matter how I dress and adorn myself, His Majesty will never come here.”

Xuan Hua had originally only come to discuss with Jiang Dan the subsequent arrangements regarding the Crown Prince matter, but upon entering he witnessed the beauty at her toilette. Now seeing Jiang Dan’s pitiful expression and resentful words, his gaze involuntarily began to wander. Honestly speaking, Jiang Dan was quite attractive – the women of the Jiang family had all inherited some of Jiang Quan’s good looks. Though Jiang Dan’s beauty was far inferior to Jiang Ruan and Jiang Susu, in the palace she was like a fresh little flower, delicate and charming, with a touch of vulnerability that was most capable of captivating men.

However, no matter how alluring, she was still his father’s woman. Though Xuan Hua was dissolute in private, Noble Consort De’s constant admonishments had still had some effect – he knew that some women could be pursued while others could bring fatal disaster with the slightest carelessness. So he quickly suppressed the desire that had stirred in his heart for just a moment, saying only, “Jiang Zhaoyi is overthinking – Father Emperor currently dotes on you greatly.”

However, Jiang Dan noticed Xuan Hua’s fleeting infatuation. She felt both pleased and surprised. People are inherently greedy – when Jiang Dan first entered the palace, she sought wealth and status, to be above others, sacrificing all the freedom of an ordinary young woman for this goal. After she gradually reached the position she desired, she became dissatisfied and wanted more.

For instance, her dissatisfaction with the Emperor accumulated day by day. Jiang Ruan could find someone as handsome and young as Xiao Shao, while she had to intimately entangle with a man nearly her father’s age. She too was in the bloom of youth – what young woman doesn’t yearn for love? Must she remain in the palace, guarding an old man while watching her beauty wither like a flower? She was unwilling.

Xuan Li was too deep and scheming – even now, Jiang Dan couldn’t see through this person. Xuan Hua was much simpler. Looking at Xuan Hua now, his appearance was quite handsome, and more importantly, he was so young, perfectly matched with her own age… Jiang Dan thought dreamily, then suddenly smiled and said, “No matter how much favor there is, when shared among so many women, by the time it reaches this concubine, it’s merely drops.” She stroked her wide sleeves, revealing a section of wrist as white as jade, with fingernails painted bright red like fresh flowers. She said softly, “Often, these quarters are completely empty, without any human presence. This concubine is, after all, a woman – I do feel lonely and afraid.”

Xuan Hua’s heart stirred, seeming to hear much in Jiang Dan’s words. Looking again at the woman sitting alone in the vast palace, beautiful as a flower, deeply emotional and resentful, her bright eyes gazing steadily at him with seemingly infinite affection and longing, Xuan Hua finally couldn’t sit still. Jiang Dan seemingly casually lit incense nearby – it was tribute incense from the Western Regions, extremely light and refreshing in fragrance, yet capable of driving people to unconscious madness. Every time the Emperor visited, she would light this incense. Today was the first time she used it on another man.

Yet there was a thrilling sense of excitement, as if it were a form of wild release. In the sleeping quarters, weak lamplight slowly illuminated their bodies, and gradually suppressed low gasps echoed through the night sky before dispersing in the cold wind.

…

Jiang Ruan set down the book in her hand. The reporting spy had returned long ago. Xiao Shao had just finished bathing and emerged to see Jiang Ruan sitting on the bed lost in thought, even holding her book upside down, clearly deeply absorbed in her contemplations.

He walked over and took the book from Jiang Ruan’s hands. She turned to look at him, and Xiao Shao tucked the blanket more securely around her, asking, “What’s wrong?”

“I was thinking… tomorrow they’ll probably be able to find that the arrow that struck the Crown Prince came from our Prince’s manor,” Jiang Ruan said.

The casual phrase “our Prince’s manor,” though unintentionally spoken by Jiang Ruan, clearly pleased Xiao Shao. He seemed to smile slightly and said, “Nothing to worry about.” Since he had made arrangements, he naturally wouldn’t allow anything detrimental to the Prince’s manor to occur. Jiang Dan and Xuan Hua’s fine calculations consistently underestimated their opponents, truly believing everyone in the world was as foolish as themselves.

Jiang Ruan glanced at him. Having such a capable person by her side always made things much easier – he would arrange everything properly anyway. She said, “Actually, even if you didn’t intervene and let them have their way, the Emperor would never blame you for it.” The Emperor, though indecisive, willful, and short-sighted, had one virtue that had never changed from beginning to end – he always held complete trust in Xiao Shao.

Jiang Dan didn’t know Xiao Shao’s background, and she and Xuan Hua thought they could simply pin everything on Xiao Shao to succeed. Little did they know this approach was fundamentally flawed from the start. Once it was truly discovered to be connected to Prince Jinying’s manor, the Emperor’s first thought would be that someone was framing Xiao Shao, and he would instead investigate Xiao Shao’s enemies.

If they went with the flow, they might eventually uncover Jiang Dan and Xuan Hua anyway, but that would require more time.

Xiao Shao said, “Otherwise, you’d have more trouble.” Jiang Ruan was already not favored by the Emperor. Why would Xuan Hua, who had never acted rashly against Prince Jinying’s manor for so many years, suddenly make a move? The mastermind must be Jiang Dan, and why would Jiang Dan instigate Xuan Hua for no reason? Naturally, it would be because of Jiang Ruan. This way, the Emperor would again consider Jiang Ruan a source of trouble. Preconceived notions always last particularly long, so to avoid such complications, Xiao Shao had handled the subsequent troubles in advance himself.

Jiang Ruan hadn’t expected Xiao Shao to consider this aspect too. She was momentarily stunned, then smiled, “You already knew about Xuan Hua and Jiang Dan’s affair?”

Xiao Shao nodded silently in acknowledgment.

Jiang Ruan shook her head, “Her boldness is truly remarkable.” In Jiang Ruan’s view, Jiang Dan’s entanglement with Xuan Hua was inconceivable. Jiang Dan wasn’t particularly clever or sophisticated in her methods. Her step-by-step rise to her current position was entirely due to one word: patience. Much like Xuan Li and Xuan Lang in the past, she had maintained a harmless and timid appearance since childhood in the Minister’s manor.

Jiang Dan excelled at lying low, acting with extreme caution, careful never to leave any leverage for others. How could such a person engage in improper relations with Xuan Hua? Once exposed, it would inevitably bring endless future troubles. For Jiang Dan to risk such disaster to be with Xuan Hua didn’t align with her cautious nature. Unless she wanted to use this to make some deal with Xuan Hua, Jiang Ruan’s expression became somewhat strange – then it would be for… Xuan Hua himself?

Jiang Dan probably didn’t even like Xuan Hua much, but Jiang Ruan had always heard romantic tales of discontented imperial consorts in the deep palace having affairs with outsiders. Perhaps Jiang Dan was no different from those women, harboring desires in her heart. After all, with the Emperor’s advanced age, how could she bear it at her age?

Jiang Ruan asked Xiao Shao, “Do you plan to intervene in this matter?”

“Entirely up to you,” Xiao Shao said, “I’ll cover for you from behind.”

Jiang Ruan couldn’t help but laugh, looking Xiao Shao up and down thoughtfully, “Looking at it now, my luck isn’t bad either. Jiang Dan found someone as old as the Emperor – no wonder she turned to choose young men like Xuan Hua. And having lived through two lifetimes, my combined age… perhaps I could even be considered your elder. This way, it seems I’ve gained an advantage. I don’t even need to have affairs.”

“Have affairs?” Xiao Shao narrowed his eyes, his tone suddenly turning dangerous.

Jiang Ruan, usually so adept at reading people’s emotions, didn’t catch the difference in Xiao Shao’s voice today and continued, “You’re so beautiful, naturally I’m reluctant to part with you.”

The next moment, she was pinned down on the bed by Xiao Shao. His gaze was profound, his tone coolly indifferent, “Mm, I’ll work a bit harder so you won’t have the energy for affairs.”

Jiang Ruan: “…”

…

The night passed silently. Jiang Dan straightened her clothing – the person beside her had left at some unknown time. She felt an ache throughout her body, and though the previous night’s passion had dissipated, the room seemed to still hold lingering traces. In Xuan Hua, she had found her own freshness and youth, finally feeling different from those old women in the palace.

Xuan Hua was completely different from the Emperor – young, with incredible energy. Desire, once tasted, creates craving. Jiang Dan felt this arrangement could continue indefinitely.

During their passionate moments last night, Xuan Hua had said, “A woman as clever and beautiful as you makes me somewhat reluctant to let go. Once this prince’s great undertaking is accomplished, you can change your name and stay by this prince’s side.”

Jiang Dan had taken it as mere pillow talk then, but now she began seriously considering Xuan Hua’s words. Indeed, she was unwilling to guard the Emperor for life. After the Emperor’s death, imperial consorts either faced martyrdom or were sent to nunneries – why not consider her own future? This realm would eventually fall to either Xuan Li or Xuan Hua. Xuan Li already considered her a discarded piece, while Xuan Hua was an excellent choice.

Jiang Dan summoned her attendant, “How is the Crown Prince?”

“It seems they found the arrow,” Pearl replied, “but His Majesty appears very angry. No news has emerged.”

Jiang Dan first frowned, then, thinking of something, gradually relaxed. It was fine – no news was good news. It had taken considerable effort to obtain arrows identical to those from Prince Jinying’s manor. Many had seen the arrow Xiao Shao used to shoot the white tiger that day. Their return together with Xuan Pei had drawn much attention. With the accusation of Prince Jinying’s manor and the Thirteenth Prince conspiring to murder the Crown Prince with treasonous intentions, and given the Prince’s manor’s precedent, even wanting to clear their names would be very difficult.

The Emperor must be furious now, but because it involved his own son, outsiders couldn’t hear about it – this was normal. That little bastard Xuan Pei, always mocking her with his princely status, would now pay the price. Jiang Dan smiled slightly, looking at herself in the mirror, removing the flower hairpin and replacing it with a simple silver one, “Let’s go. Since something has happened to His Highness the Crown Prince, this palace is deeply concerned. Going together to visit shows my sincere intentions.”