“Father, I heard you’re not letting Ninth Sister go to the palace to treat the Empress Dowager’s illness anymore. What’s the reason for this?”
As soon as Qin Yan returned to the mansion, he learned about Qin Shu’s actions today from Madam Hu. Finding it puzzling, he went straight to the study to ask Qin Shu what was going on. Hearing these words, Qin Shu responded irritably, “What do you mean I’m not letting Wan girl treat Empress Dowager’s illness? Treating the Empress Dowager is of utmost importance…”
Qin Yan became even more confused, “But Mother said you’re having Ninth Sister pretend to be ill and stay in the mansion, not only skipping tomorrow’s palace visit but also the Lantern Festival banquet. You said you needed Ninth Sister’s help on the day of the banquet – is this true or false?”
While Qin Shu had been cautious with his words around Madam Hu and others, he could speak freely with Qin Yan.
With a long sigh and furrowed brows, Qin Shu said, “Of course it’s false.”
Qin Yan had already felt something was amiss, and hearing Qin Shu’s direct admission only increased his unease. “Father, what exactly has happened?” For Qin Shu to suddenly make such arrangements, it must be related to Qin Wan, and given her current status was vastly different from before, what could have prompted Qin Shu to resort to such a strategy of hiding in the mansion?
Qin Shu looked at Qin Yan, his eyes darkening, “These days, Wan girl has been treating the Empress Dowager’s illness and has gained the attention of both His Majesty and the Empress Dowager. On the surface, her position in the palace seems quite high, but you should know that she’s still just an orphaned daughter of the Qin family. Though His Majesty and the Empress Dowager trust her, they won’t truly protect her. If someone targets Wan girl, you and I can’t protect her, and neither the Empress Dowager nor His Majesty have a firm enough stance to shield her…”
Qin Yan’s frown deepened as he listened, “Father, who has targeted Ninth Sister?”
Qin Shu’s eyes darkened further, “Consort Su and Prince Cheng.”
“What?!” Upon hearing this, Qin Yan was first shocked, then confused, “Consort Su and Prince Cheng? Don’t they know our mansion’s position?”
Qin Shu sighed, “You’re thinking too simply. It’s precisely because they know that they’re doing this. Wan girl is a daughter of the Qin family – if she becomes Prince Cheng’s person, how could the Crown Prince continue to trust us as before?”
Qin Yan took a deep breath, “How did Father learn of this?”
Qin Shu lifted his chin slightly, “Your sister will eventually enter the palace, so I’ve long had people placed there. Though they usually can’t accomplish much, they can occasionally gauge the masters’ intentions. I received news that Consort Su intends to arrange for Wan Girl to become Prince Cheng’s Secondary Consort.”
Secondary Consort…
Qin Yan let out a cold laugh, “A mere Secondary Consort position, and they think they can marry Ninth Sister?”
Qin Shu shook his head, “You’re mistaken. While Wan Girl curing the Empress Dowager’s illness is indeed a great achievement, it’s only just begun. The Empress Dowager trusts Wan girl, and His Majesty likes her, but this will likely make them want to keep her in the palace. Given Wan girl’s background, if not for her exceptional medical skills, the position of Secondary Consort to a Prince would be quite sufficient.”
Hearing this, Qin Yan was also alarmed. In their eyes, Qin Wan saving Empress Dowager’s life naturally made her no ordinary noble lady, but her background was what it was. Moreover, facing Consort Su and Prince Cheng, even the Marquis’s mansion would be powerless. Qin Yan’s eyes shifted, “Then what should we do? Just keep hiding in the mansion?”
Qin Shu shook his head, “I can’t think of any other solution for now. We can only take it one step at a time. The Lantern Festival banquet is absolutely out of the question. And you know Prince Cheng’s temperament – he’s capable of anything. Wan girl won’t agree to this, and we won’t agree either. If Prince Cheng asks His Majesty for her hand, His Majesty might ask Wan girl’s opinion, and the outcome would be uncertain. But would Prince Cheng do things that way? If he takes some underhanded approach, what could we do then?”
Qin Yan felt a chill in his heart. Qin Shu was right – given Yan Qi’s temperament, he was capable of anything. They weren’t worried about him making a proper proposal, but rather about him playing dirty…
“Father, should we approach the Crown Prince?”
There was hope in Qin Yan’s voice, but Qin Shu hesitated, “Seeking the Crown Prince’s help might be futile…”
Qin Yan was stunned, “Why? Ninth Sister has helped the Crown Prince before, and this is our family matter. Prince Cheng’s intention is clearly to drive a wedge between us – the Crown Prince wouldn’t want that either.”
Qin Shu pressed his lips together, “I can’t explain it clearly, but I just feel it’s not appropriate to involve the Crown Prince in this matter.”
Qin Yan was bewildered, “Then what should we do? Who else can we turn to?”
Qin Shu narrowed his eyes and suddenly said, “In this matter, we can only pin our hopes on two people. The first is the Empress Dowager.”
“The Empress Dowager?”
“Yes. The Empress Dowager seems very fond of Wan Girl, but I’m not sure exactly how she views Wan Girl, or whether she would prioritize Wan Girl’s wishes and speak up for her at a crucial moment.”
Qin Yan nodded, “Indeed. The Empress Dowager has always been kind to the younger generation, but perhaps she also wants to keep Ninth Sister in the palace.”
Qin Shu nodded helplessly, “Exactly. Wan Girl saved the Empress Dowager’s life, so the Empress Dowager must be grateful to her, but we don’t know how far this gratitude would extend in helping Wan Girl. If this matter truly cannot be resolved by hiding, then it would be unwise to place all our hopes on the Empress Dowager.”
“Father, who’s the other person?”
Qin Shu’s expression became solemn, “His Highness, the Crown Prince of the Rui Prince’s Manor.”
Qin Yan was startled, “What? The Crown Prince of the Rui Prince’s Manor?”
“Indeed.” Qin Shu pondered for a moment before continuing, “His Highness Chi was entrusted by the Grand Princess to look after Wan girl, escorting her to the capital. Since then, I’ve observed that while he asks for her help, he also treats her quite openly. I believe he takes the Grand Princess’s instructions seriously.”
Qin Yan hesitated slightly, “But Father, Prince Chi has been away from the capital for many years. Now he’s working in the Ministry of Justice, and to be frank, though he understands palace intrigues, he’s not the Rui Prince – his words don’t carry the same weight. Do you want him to speak to the Empress Dowager on Ninth Sister’s behalf? Or… do you have something else in mind?”
Qin Shu pressed his lips together, his eyes flashing with darkness, “You underestimate the Rui Prince’s Manor. Even though Prince Chi has been away from the capital for many years, most matters in the capital don’t escape his notice. If he’s willing to help Wan Girl, he’ll certainly have ways to do so. Look at how the arrogant Feng Zhang fared when he encountered the ‘Demon King of Shuo Xi’ – didn’t he just get beaten? While Prince Cheng isn’t as foolish as Feng Zhang, whether he makes an official proposal to His Majesty or plays underhanded tricks, Prince Chi has plenty of ways to deal with him. It just depends on whether he wants to help Wan girl…”
Hearing this, hope sparked in Qin Yan’s heart, “Then… should I go find Prince Chi?”
Qin Shu shook his head, “No need to seek him out. Just have someone pass the message to Prince Chi. Let him know that the reason for Wan girl’s claimed illness and absence is related to Prince Cheng, and see how he responds.”
Qin Yan quickly nodded, “Alright, I’ll go give the orders right away…”
In Chang Xin Palace, Consort Su was surprised to hear the report from her palace servant, “You say the Qin family’s Ninth Miss didn’t enter the palace?”
The servant nodded, “Yes, Consort. The people from Shou Kang Palace said Miss Qin Nine has caught a cold and, fearing she might pass the illness to the Empress Dowager, she took leave today.”
“Took leave?” Consort Su frowned and looked at Yan Qi beside her, “How could she suddenly take leave for no reason? I had planned to have her come to Chang Xin Palace today, but now that’s impossible. Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival banquet – what should we do?”
Yan Qi’s eyes were dark and gloomy, “I suspect she won’t attend the Lantern Festival banquet either.”
Consort Su sat up straight, “Qi’er, how do you know?”
Yan Qi shook his head, “Something doesn’t seem right. She’s a doctor herself, yet she caught a cold? Just one day… I rather think she might have learned something, and that’s why she’s trying to avoid entering the palace.”
Feng Ling Su raised an eyebrow, “Know what? That you intend to take her as your consort, and she’s trying to avoid it?”
Yan Qi remained expressionless, “Mother Consort, you underestimate Qin Wan. If asked about this matter, she would refuse to enter Prince Cheng’s mansion, especially for just a Secondary Consort position.”
Feng Ling Su laughed mockingly, “No matter how much the Empress Dowager favors her, she’s still just a girl of common birth. Don’t tell me she’s expecting the position of Primary Consort?”
Yan Qi lifted his chin slightly, “I fear she wouldn’t accept even the Primary Consort position.”
Feng Ling Su looked at Yan Qi, almost in disbelief, but quickly realized, “Because of the Crown Prince?”
Yan Qi nodded noncommittally. The Loyal and Brave Marquis’s mansion’s stance was one thing, but her determination was another – and comparatively, the latter was far more important…
Feng Ling Su narrowed her eyes, “Indeed. Knowing the Crown Prince would disapprove, neither she nor the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s mansion would willingly let her enter Prince Cheng’s mansion. But this is precisely why we must bring her to our side. What does it matter if she knows medicine? She’s just a young girl. If we can’t do it openly, there are other ways.”
Yan Qi nodded, “Yes, Mother Consort is right.” After a pause, he added, “However, she’s currently favored by Imperial Grandmother. Whatever we do privately, we must maintain propriety in public.”
Having played the role of a gentlewoman for years, Feng Ling Su was well-versed in this. She nodded, “Naturally.”
Yan Qi thought for a moment, “Mother Consort, add Qin Wan’s name to tomorrow’s list.” He paused again, “Put her among the Primary Consort candidates…”
Feng Ling Su was startled, “What? Primary Consort?”
Tomorrow was the Lantern Festival banquet, where the Crown Prince and Yan Qi’s consort selection would officially begin. Tomorrow, the Empress and Consort Su would each present a list of candidates. The Imperial Household would first verify their backgrounds and conduct, then the Imperial Astronomers would examine their Eight Characters for compatibility. After that, the palace Empress and Consorts would interview them to assess their behavior and appearance. Finally, the Emperor and Empress would discuss the filtered candidates before deciding on the Primary and Secondary Consorts for the Crown Prince and Prince Cheng. Though this was the process, there were only a few real candidates for Primary Consort – the rest was a mere formality.
Feng Ling Su had originally only two candidates for Primary Consort and had almost settled on Peng Hua Jing, daughter of the Duke of Wei Guo. Now with Qin Wan added, what if the Empress Dowager and Emperor approved her out of fondness?
“Qi’er, what if this backfires?”
Yan Qi’s lips curved slightly, “It won’t backfire. I suspect Kun Ning Palace already knows about our movements, which is why Qin Wan isn’t entering the palace. But by placing her among the Primary Consort candidates, I want to see how the Crown Prince will respond. Will he simply watch idly, or will his side’s list change as well?”
In Kun Ning Palace, Zhao Shu Hua’s brows were also tightly knitted.
Beside her, Yun Yan said, “Your Majesty, Ninth Miss has taken leave from Shou Kang Palace. What should we do?”
Zhao Shu Hua frowned, “If the Empress Dowager’s palace has no objections, what can I say?”
Zhao Shu Hua turned to look at Yan Che, “Che’er, did that side say anything to Qin Shu?”
Yan Che shook his head, “No, son only delivered the gifts to Zhao Yu as Mother instructed.”
Zhao Shu Hua nodded in satisfaction, then smiled, “Let her take leave. Tomorrow’s palace banquet is just the beginning, with the main event yet to come. Someone like Feng Ling Su, once she’s set her mind on something, won’t change it. Now that Qin Wan is deliberately avoiding this confrontation, she certainly won’t give up.”
Yan Che stood by the window, his eyes fixed unmoving on the snowy scene outside.
Lin’an’s winters were always long, but this year felt particularly endless to him. He gazed at the snow-covered palace buildings stretching into the distance, his eyes seemingly touched by frost.
“What does Mother Empress plan to do?”
Yan Che asked, and Zhao Shu Hua smiled, “We don’t need to do much. At this point, we just need to prepare to watch the show. However… Qin Shu has been mediocre all his life, and he hasn’t changed even in this matter. This isn’t good – we need to give him a push…”
“Push him, and then push Qin Wan to center stage, to use her for our purposes?”
Yan Che continued slowly. Zhao Shu Hua smiled, “Exactly, Che’er. You know that all these years, the Prince Cheng mother and son have harbored wild ambitions. Our careful precautions haven’t been enough – we must find an opportunity to expose their fatal flaw. Only when they make a grave mistake can we rest easy.”
Yan Che was silent for a moment before asking, “Mother Empress, what if Qin Wan takes leave tomorrow as well?”
Zhao Shu Hua first frowned, then her eyes darkened, “Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival banquet. She promised me personally – if she’s taking leave, she should come tell me herself…” Despite saying this, Zhao Shu Hua narrowed her phoenix eyes, “Send someone to bring Zhao Yu into the palace. I haven’t seen her for many days, and I miss her dearly…”
Yan Che slowly turned around, “Mother Empress, why don’t we let Qin Wan avoid this one time?”
Zhao Shu Hua frowned, looking at Yan Che with a slightly cold voice, “Che’er, you’re being foolish. What good will it do to avoid it temporarily? If you don’t steel your heart now, we’ll miss this golden opportunity…”
Yan Che wanted to speak but held back, watching helplessly as the palace servant received orders to bring Qin Zhao Yu into the palace. He understood that Zhao Shu Hua was going to use both grace and pressure.
In Shou Kang Palace, Empress Dowager was troubled by Qin Wan’s absence, while Yan Chi was telling her about the battles in Shuo Xi. Born into a military family, Empress Dowager couldn’t handle such stories when she was unwell, but now she enjoyed hearing Yan Chi tell them.
After listening to Yan Chi, the Empress Dowager’s expression tightened, “The barbarians were so cunning, and you were dealing with several tribes at once. How did you win that battle in the end?”
Yan Chi smiled lightly, “They all overestimated themselves. When they were fixated on finding their opponent’s weakness, that’s when they exposed their vital points… I only needed to use their force against them.”