Jinling had four layers of city walls: the palace walls, the imperial city walls, the main city walls, and the outer city walls.
The imperial city had a circumference of about six li. Its actual area was limited—the Chu Imperial Palace occupied nearly half the space in the center-north position. Apart from numerous imperial Daoist abbeys, banquet pavilions, residences for palace maids and eunuchs, and barracks where Imperial Guard troops were quartered, there were also the Six Ministries’ bureau offices. Many buildings stood densely packed—this was commonly called the location of the outer court.
From Chongfu Abbey to the rear residence offices of the Secretariat required passing through only two narrow alleyways.
Though wearing military uniforms hidden in the abbey over their skirts and robes created significant flaws in their silhouettes, and the tight covering was extremely hot, dusk had already fallen. The attention of the various Imperial Guard Army units was focused on guarding critical locations like the palace walls, the nine gates of the imperial city, and Chongwen Hall. As they walked along, apart from two low-ranking veteran officials in the alleyways observing the surroundings for them, they encountered no one else.
Qing Yang had no idea whether, beyond the hidden agents Tangyi’s Secret Bureau had placed within the various ministry bureaus, Han Qian had also planted personnel within the inner court palace precincts over these years.
Hearing the drum sounds from the palace walls, the searches within the various palace halls had just begun. The imperial city side should currently focus mainly on lockdown, with comprehensive searches delayed somewhat. Qing Yang, Yun Puzi, and the others reached a vacant office in the Secretariat’s rear residence without incident, temporarily free from worry that Cishou Palace’s people or dispatched assassins would find them first.
Leaving two hidden agents to watch for developments for Qing Yang and Yun Puzi, Qin Wen hurried to Chongwen Hall to see Shen Yang.
At this moment, Qing Yang’s heart remained full of anxiety. Setting aside the extravagant hope of Bin’er possibly ascending the throne, she didn’t feel her current situation was truly safe.
When Qin Wen went to see Shen Yang now, undoubtedly neither he nor Yun Puzi would voluntarily expose their identities. And Han Daoming, Han Daochang, and Han Qian far away at East Lake had no direct evidence to reveal the Second Prince’s parentage issue, nor would they let the Han family become embroiled in the Empress Dowager’s adultery affair and become a target for all, would they?
That would only make the capital situation even more chaotic.
Thus it seemed Lü Qingxia and her faction’s conspiracy to install the Second Prince as the new emperor still had an extremely high chance of success.
If Shen Yang, Yang Zhitang, and others were bewitched and truly all chose to support installing the Second Prince as emperor, she as a “Dowager Consort” would inevitably have to return with Bin’er to reside within the palace precincts. Wouldn’t they then face the constant possibility of being poisoned to death by Lü Qingxia and her people?
Thinking of this, Qing Yang’s heart sank to rock bottom. She even wanted to tell Yun Puzi that she didn’t want Bin’er to become emperor—she only hoped Han Mansion and Tangyi could fully prevent Lü Qingxia’s conspiracy from succeeding.
Even if Huang E’s son ascended the throne, perhaps she and Bin’er would still have a chance to live peacefully for a lifetime?
“Logically speaking, Empress Huang’s son has the best chance of ascending the throne,” Yun Puzi said, seeing Qing Yang’s delicate brows tightly furrowed and assuming she was troubled by the current complex situation. “However, with Lü Qingxia striking so viciously at this time, she absolutely cannot sit idly by and watch the throne fall into others’ hands—as the saying goes, when the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits. As long as Qin Wen can persuade Prime Minister Shen, Yang En, and Prince Shou to install the Crown Prince, with Tangyi and Han Mansion secretly assisting, the Crown Prince’s chances are absolutely not low—we should patiently wait for news from Secretary Qin for now…”
“I hope everything is as you say, Daoist Master Yun.” Qing Yang said distantly, not knowing whether that man hidden behind the scenes could truly be relied upon. Her thoughts turned involuntarily to wondering under what circumstances Yang Yuanpu had been assassinated—how could he have had no defenses whatsoever?
Though their feelings couldn’t be called deep, and she had even chosen to fly separately when disaster struck, over these years dwelling deep in the palace she had still enjoyed Yang Yuanpu’s favor. As husband and wife, now with her shock somewhat settled, she couldn’t help but feel some grief in her heart. Somewhat lost in spirit, she sat there holding Bin’er, who still didn’t know what had actually happened…
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“That lowborn wretch Qing Yang isn’t at Changxin Palace? She took the Crown Prince and left through Chongfu Gate a step ahead?”
The great fire at Changyang Courtyard and assassins breaking into Chongwen Hall—no matter how much chaos these two incidents created, the palace precinct guard mechanisms hadn’t collapsed. In fact, as Shen Yang, Yang Zhitang, and others issued orders to transfer Imperial Guard Army forces from the outer court within the imperial city into the palace walls, the internal defense and supervision strengthened several-fold.
The corridors between the various palace halls and courtyards were filled with Imperial Guard troops mutually monitoring each other. Every movement of the eunuchs and palace maids was watched by countless eyes. Even senior eunuchs from the Palace Attendants Bureau ordered to move about had to be accompanied step-by-step by Imperial Guard troops—they could not act alone.
Some consorts still didn’t understand the situation clearly and didn’t take the prohibitions seriously enough. Thinking it wouldn’t matter to have people around them go out to gather information, over a dozen eunuchs and palace maids who rashly ran out to seek news were regarded as assassin accomplices and innocently suffered execution or arrest.
Under such high pressure, even Yao Xishui took a long time to learn that the assassins she had dispatched had failed to successfully abduct and kill Princess Qing Yang and the Crown Prince at Changxin Palace. Hearing this news, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat panicked inside, never expecting such an important link to go wrong, never imagining Qing Yang would flee so quickly.
As Director of the Weaving Bureau, Yao Xishui’s position in the inner court was second only to the Palace Attendants Director. But at such an extraordinary time, without being ordered, she could not move about freely.
And such orders, even bearing the Empress Dowager’s written edict, were currently useless.
At least before tearing off the mask with Shen Yang and the others and directly competing for control of the Imperial Guard Army, to move freely within the palace precincts and imperial city, orders needed to be jointly signed by the Empress Dowager, Chen De as nominal commander of the Imperial Guard Army, and Shen Yang, Yang Zhitang, and others to be effective.
Currently Yao Xishui could only accompany Lü Qingxia by the Empress Dowager’s side along with Chun Shisanniang and others.
After receiving the report, Yao Xishui forcibly suppressed her inner panic and, pretending nothing was wrong, walked into the inner hall to quietly inform Lü Qingxia of the latest situation.
Lü Qingxia’s face remained completely calm. At this time, Yang En and Zheng Chang—two Participating Ministers—had only just been secretly brought into the palace, and in Chongwen Hall’s inner hall, everyone had just confirmed the news of the Noble Consort and Crown Prince’s disappearance.
Not only were they neither seen alive nor found dead in Changxin Palace—throughout the entire palace walls, the Imperial Guard Army had found no trace of the Noble Consort and Crown Prince.
After a brief moment, Lü Qingxia, appearing unable to bear the extremely oppressive atmosphere of the inner hall, stood and walked toward the sleeping chamber behind. Yang Yuanpu’s corpse was kept there.
Yao Xishui and Chun Shisanniang followed behind Lü Qingxia into the sleeping chamber.
That the three of them stayed together constantly was no secret, and others at this moment had no intention of following them into the sleeping chamber to view Yang Yuanpu’s thoroughly dead corpse.
Empress Dowager Wang Chan’er looked over with some puzzlement but asked nothing, only staring blankly at the congealed pool of blood in the great hall.
Chongwen Hall was divided into three sections: outer hall, inner hall, and sleeping chamber. Inside the sleeping chamber, apart from Yang Yuanpu’s remains, only two old eunuchs stood far away in corners tending the lights.
“The hidden agents Han Qian deployed between the imperial city and palace precincts have finally moved at this moment…” Lü Qingxia said with slightly furrowed brows, exhaling.
“That lowborn wretch left through Chongfu Gate when the incident occurred—that treacherous Daoist Yun Puzi is truly Han Qian’s hidden agent.” Yao Xishui said with great hatred.
At the critical moment, the one who could persuade Qing Yang to take the Crown Prince and flee Changxin Palace without hesitation at the moment of crisis—apart from Yun Puzi, she couldn’t imagine anyone else. And over these years she had suspected Yun Puzi several times, but unfortunately he had always covered his tracks.
How could she not hate at this moment?
“If Yun Puzi truly is Han Qian’s hidden agent and they know so many of our secrets, haven’t they already guessed all our arrangements at this point? If Yun Puzi then brings the Wang woman and Crown Prince to meet with Han Daoming…” Thinking of this, Chun Shisanniang’s heart began pounding wildly.
“What are you panicking about?” Lü Qingxia glanced sharply at Chun Shisanniang and said in a low voice: “Even if they know the Second Prince is the Empress Dowager and Han Jun’s son, so what? Setting aside that their claims would be hard to believe, he won’t easily reveal this secret. You must know Shen Yang, Yang En, Yang Zhitang still have one final choice they’re absolutely unwilling to see…”
“Does Madam mean Shen Yang, Yang En, and Yang Zhitang would choose to install Prince Xin when pushed to desperation?” Yao Xishui asked, forcibly suppressing her inner shock.
Lü Qingxia nodded and said: “If it truly comes to that situation in the end, Xiangbei and Tangyi can only suffer mutual destruction. And Han Qian’s purpose of urgently extricating himself to lead troops into Hehuai to fight would completely fall through. Ultimately he could only sit and watch the Mongols seize Hehuai and Guanzhong. Do you think Han Qian would be happy to see such a scene?”
“Should I find an opportunity for secret talks with Han Daoming?” Yao Xishui asked.
Since they could confirm where Han Dao’s bottom line lay, especially with the Second Prince by Wang Chan’er’s side also being Han family blood, they could indeed be certain Han Qian, the Han family, and even the Li family had no possibility of directly exposing the mystery of the Second Prince’s parentage.
Since everyone was wary, Yao Xishui felt there should still be possibility for negotiating with Han Daoming. At worst, they could abandon their plan to plot against Shu.
“Yun Puzi may not necessarily bring Qing Yang and the Crown Prince to see Han Daoming…” Lü Qingxia said with slightly furrowed brows.
“Why not?” Yao Xishui asked in puzzlement. “Wouldn’t this bargaining chip only work if Qing Yang takes the Crown Prince and falls into Han Daoming’s hands?”
“How do you know how many hidden agents Han Qian has deployed between the inner court and outer court? I’m worried the Mongols forcing us to strike is actually us falling into Han Qian’s trap…” Lü Qingxia sighed softly.
“Ah…” Yao Xishui and Chun Shisanniang looked at Lü Qingxia in shock, finding it hard to believe what she was saying, or rather finding it hard to imagine Han Qian’s calculations and arrangements could be so deep.
“You two carefully watch Shen Yang and Yang En—no matter how many other hidden agents Han Qian has, as long as they don’t want to let Huaidong profit as the fisherman, don’t want the court to split four ways, don’t want to let the Mongols succeed, they can only push the capital situation toward the outcome they want through several extremely key figures,” Lü Qingxia instructed. “And even if we need to negotiate with Han Daoming, we should wait until we’ve controlled the situation…”
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As Secretary, though Qin Wen’s rank was inferior to bureau directors and couldn’t compare to ministry vice ministers, he was qualified to enter and exit the palace precincts.
After Qing Yang, Yun Puzi, and the others hid themselves in the Secretariat offices, he went directly to Chongwen Hall.
At this time the night was dark and the weather extremely stifling.
From Chongyang Gate to Chongwen Hall, in the plaza, corridors, and palace gates, troops from the Left Wuxiang Army and Left and Right Wuyi Armies stood clearly demarcated guarding every corner, vigilantly watching each other.
With the Emperor assassinated, the deposed empress’s charred remains burned beyond recognition in the great fire, several corpses lying in Changxin Palace while the Noble Consort and Crown Prince’s whereabouts remained unknown—it was hard to imagine that without inside collaboration from traitors in the Imperial Guard Army or Palace Attendants Bureau, assassins could so easily infiltrate and carry out such major actions.
At this moment anyone could be the enemy. Without keeping wide eyes watching each other, they might not even know how they died.
The bright horn lamps and lanterns lit at hall eaves and courtyard corners numbered several times more than usual, illuminating everything inside and out thoroughly.
Huang Lü, Guo Liang, and Zhang Han each stood before the hall eaves with over a dozen trusted followers and highly skilled bodyguards.
Huang Lü appeared rather relaxed. With his carefree manner, no one suspected him of any problems at this moment. The Huang family had no need to do such things, especially with Huang Hua himself currently serving as Pacification Commissioner in Yueyang.
Guo Liang and Zhang Han each stood to one side, mutually on guard.
Though prior speculation suggested Guo Liang and Zhang Han were unlikely to be directly controlled by Lü Qingxia, at this moment Qin Wen’s heart still couldn’t help but pound—or rather, were any of their subordinates secretly bought or controlled by Lü Qingxia?
Qin Wen climbed the steps. Each of the three sides dispatched a soldier to search his person, but they didn’t prevent him from entering the great hall.
The outer hall was also brightly lit with torches, filled with eunuch ministers at the Palace Attendants rank and above, along with bureau officials who had entered the palace accompanying the great Participating Ministers. Han Duan also stood in the outer hall—but Han Daochang remained at bureaus outside the palace walls. Qin Wen, not maintaining direct contact with Han Mansion, didn’t yet know Han Daoming’s arrangements.
The great hall was unbearably stifling. Everyone could only stand. Their official robes were thick and heavy, and beads of sweat fell continuously from their foreheads.
Only elderly eunuchs and officials who truly couldn’t bear it sat on small brocade stools in corners to rest.
Han Duan didn’t know Qin Wen’s true identity. Seeing him enter, he glanced over without speaking, his eyes instead scanning the faces of other officials.
Very obviously Han Duan and other core Han Mansion figures were all waiting to draw snakes from their holes. Though the current situation confirmed Cishou Palace had struck in secret, who else among the full court of generals and officials was connected to Cishou Palace or directly involved in this assassination case—now was absolutely a good opportunity to secretly observe and root out more hidden traitors.
Qin Wen also secretly surveyed everything.
Without being announced, Qin Wen could only enter the outer hall. He stood opposite Han Duan, his eyes glancing toward the inner hall.
The inner hall had heavy curtains—Yang Yuanpu’s body couldn’t be seen from where it was kept. Standing in the outer hall, he could only see Shen Yang, Yang Zhitang, Du Chongtao, Zhou Bingwu, Han Daoming, Zhang Chao, Zheng Yu, Zheng Chang, Yang En, Li Changfeng, and Chen De seated in two rows before the imperial desk.
Unable to see behind the imperial desk, Qin Wen guessed that Empress Dowager Wang Chan’er should be sitting there alone. He didn’t know what she felt sitting before her own biological son’s corpse, but precisely because of this, her sitting in Chongwen Hall would prevent Shen Yang, Yang Zhitang, Yang En, and others from easily suspecting her, wouldn’t it?
At this time Xue Ruogu, Zhang Feng, and two other officials walked in from outside, having the eunuch guarding the passage between the outer and inner halls go in to report.
“What’s happening?” Qin Wen walked to the stern-faced Xue Ruogu and asked.
“Several palace maids in Changxin Palace were stabbed to death, but Noble Consort Wang and the Crown Prince are nowhere to be found—the palace attendants and guards on duty at Chongfu Gate today all say they saw Noble Consort Wang’s carriage going to Chongfu Abbey when the fire broke out at Changyang Courtyard, and saw the Chongfu Abbey Director coming and going. We just rushed to Chongfu Abbey and found Changxin Palace’s carriage there, but Noble Consort Wang, the Crown Prince, Yun Puzi, and the others had all vanished without trace.” Xue Ruogu said.
Currently all affairs within the palace walls and imperial city were handled by one or two civil and military officials from different factions, mutually monitoring each other.
Apart from Palace Attendants at the rank and above who were all summoned to Chongwen Hall for questioning, lower-ranking palace eunuchs and maids from the Palace Attendants Bureau were first detained under guard, to be interrogated one by one by a joint effort of the Imperial Guard Army Command, Censorate, Court of Judicial Review, and Ministry of Justice.
Qin Wen thought—six or seven thousand people? By the time they finished interrogating everyone, it would be far too late.
He didn’t see Zhang Ping and others. Presumably Zhang Ping, Jiang Huo, An Jixiang, Chen Ruyi, and other senior eunuchs should all be in the inner hall or even further inside in the sleeping chamber. It was just that due to the angle, he temporarily couldn’t see them.
“Were the assassins captured?” Qin Wen asked.
“Three were killed on the spot—all Mongol warriors. But how they infiltrated hasn’t been discovered yet,” Xue Ruogu said. “There are no unusual movements at the various bureaus?”
“Nothing unusual outside—oh, right, I have a confidential matter to report to His Excellency, but I can’t let others notice anything abnormal.” Qin Wen said quietly to Xue Ruogu.
Xue Ruogu glanced at Qin Wen and nodded. After waiting a while, he and Zhang Feng went in to report the results of their search of Chongfu Abbey.
“You all claim not even a fly could enter the imperial palace, yet now assassins broke in, His Majesty is dead, Empress Li was burned beyond recognition in the great fire, two living people still can’t be found, how many assassins are still hidden in the imperial city isn’t clear—you’re all eating shit!” Wang Chan’er lost control, howling and furiously denouncing Xue Ruogu, Zhang Feng, and the others’ incompetence. “Tonight even if we must dig three feet down, living I want to see them, dead I want to see their corpses. Otherwise, you all roll home and stop embarrassing yourselves here!”
A period of silence, or perhaps those in the inner hall were discussing something that couldn’t be heard in the outer hall.
Only after quite a while did Shen Yang and the Participating Ministers emerge.
Under the current atmosphere, no one stepped forward to inquire what exactly was happening.
Shen Yang, Yang Zhitang, Yang En, Chen De, Li Changfeng, and others stood in the great hall. Their gazes swept across everyone’s faces for quite a while before having someone summon Guo Liang, Zhang Han, Huang Lü, and the military supervisors from left and right—Imperial Guard Army military supervisors were already high-ranking military officers, and their factional affiliations were intricately complex. They weren’t completely controllable by Guo Liang, Zhang Han, Huang Lü, or even Chen De and Li Changfeng, who were nominally the Imperial Guard Army’s supreme and deputy commanders.
Qin Wen didn’t see Li Xiu, but seeing Chen De and Li Changfeng’s expressions showed nothing abnormal—more heaviness and barely concealed panic in their eyes when facing the current dire situation.
Thinking about it made sense. Before Lü Qingxia struck, if she had truly persuaded Li Changfeng and Li Xiu to directly participate in the assassination, they absolutely wouldn’t have sat by and watched Li Yao be assassinated.
This had nothing to do with family affection.
If their ultimate goal truly was to install the Second Prince as the new emperor, then Li Yao as the “Second Prince’s” legitimate mother would naturally become the “Empress Dowager” beneath Wang Chan’er, this “Grand Empress Dowager,” after the new emperor ascended.
If Li Changfeng and Li Xiu had truly participated in the conspiracy, how could they possibly sit by and let such an important bargaining chip be destroyed by Lü Qingxia?
Ultimately, Li Changfeng and Li Xiu were still just chess pieces being used as guns by Lü Qingxia at this point.
As for Li Pu, at this time he wasn’t even qualified to step inside the imperial city.
Looking again at Zhou Yuan and Xu Jing mixed in the crowd, their eyes full of vigilance—clearly both had participated in the conspiracy. Qin Wen couldn’t help but glance toward Han Daoming. He could also see the gravity in Han Daoming’s eyes.
The current situation was too chaotic. Qin Wen couldn’t be certain at this moment the situation would truly develop as they anticipated. And at this time he also had no opportunity to communicate directly with Han Daoming—he could only quietly observe developments.
After a brief moment, military supervisors Li Xiu, Zhang Feng, Zhong Yanhu, and others entered the great hall following the three Imperial Guard Army commanders Guo Liang, Zhang Han, and Huang Lü. Shen Yang said to them and the many officials and eunuchs waiting in the outer hall in a heavy voice:
“Before the imperial city is completely searched, all officials, generals, and palace attendants will relocate to the Government Affairs Hall to await orders. During this special period, all commands within the imperial city that are not issued by the Government Affairs Hall are seditious commands. Those who carry them are traitors. Those who enter or exit without authorization are also traitors. The Empress Dowager’s heart is grief-stricken. She will remain at Chongwen Hall to keep vigil for His Majesty. Should anything go wrong with the guard arrangements…”
“This officer obeys the command…” Shen Yang’s words represented the will of the ministers, the Imperial Guard Army Command, and the Empress Dowager who remained inside the inner hall. Guo Liang, Zhang Han, Huang Lü, and all the military supervisors unanimously expressed their compliance.
“The Empress Dowager orders Marquis Chen to remain at Chongwen Hall.” Lü Qingxia emerged and said.
Chen De was Empress Dowager Wang Chan’er’s only living relative and also the nominal commander of the Imperial Guard Army.
With assassins not yet pacified and His Majesty newly deceased, the Empress Dowager ordering Chen De to personally remain at Chongwen Hall to keep vigil was entirely reasonable. No one had grounds to object.
Though Qin Wen worried that Chen De remaining at Chongwen Hall boded ill, seeing Han Daoming only hesitate briefly without raising objections, he knew they couldn’t appropriately object now. They still had to patiently observe developments.