After hearing Qin Wan’s report about the situation in the Eastern Palace, Qin Shu’s eyes darkened completely.
Beside him, Qin Yan looked at his father and asked, “Father, what does this mean? His Majesty has stripped the Crown Prince of authority over two departments at once and ordered him to reflect in the Eastern Palace. This is essentially house arrest. The Prince Cheng’s people must be overjoyed. Does this mean His Majesty intends to support Prince Cheng?”
Qin Shu couldn’t believe the Emperor would favor Prince Cheng as heir. “Impossible.”
Anxiously, Qin Yan glanced at Qin Wan and asked, “What else did the Crown Princess say? What are the Crown Prince’s thoughts?”
Qin Wan replied, “The Crown Princess only said that she hasn’t thought of a good solution yet, but she will find a way to contact the Empress—”
“Contact the Empress? The Empress is also under house arrest, how can they possibly communicate?”
Though they all resided within the inner palace, both sides were confined, making it nearly impossible for mother and son to speak.
Qin Shu said, “It’s not entirely impossible. There’s still Fifth Princess.”
Qin Yan remembered Yan Zhen but hesitated. “The Fifth Princess knows nothing about court politics. Moreover, she and the Empress had a serious falling out before. Can she help this time?”
Qin Shu sighed, “Nothing is impossible. Given how things have developed, even if she is naive and innocent, she should understand by now. The Empress has always been decisive – it would be good to let her take charge. The worry is…”
Qin Shu’s tone was full of hidden concerns. Qin Yan looked at him. “What is Father worried about?”
Qin Shu glanced at Qin Wan, no longer avoiding the topic in front of her. “I fear His Majesty is dissatisfied with the Crown Prince.”
Qin Yan’s heart skipped a beat. Qin Shu had used the word “dissatisfied,” but his meaning went beyond that. Qin Yan’s eyes widened, “Could it be that His Majesty wants to depose the Crown Prince? He was only invested a year ago and hasn’t made any major mistakes during this time. The current situation can’t be blamed on him either.”
“Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger – how can we know His Majesty’s thoughts?”
Qin Yan was rendered speechless by his father’s words. Though young, he was mature beyond his years and naturally understood that his father’s words weren’t empty. “Then what should we do now? How can we help the Crown Prince regain His Majesty’s favor?”
Qin Shu shook his head. “I don’t know.” After a pause, he continued directly, “I don’t know what about the Crown Prince displeasing His Majesty.”
The Crown Prince’s mistakes were ones anyone in his position could have made. Even Prince Cheng must have corrupt officials under him. But this time, the Emperor gave the Crown Prince no chance to explain or rectify the situation. Normally, since the Emperor had chosen the Crown Prince as heir, he should have shown more patience and tolerance. But over the past year, Qin Shu felt the Emperor had shown no intention of mentoring or guiding him…
Whether it was corruption in the salt administration or now in military supplies, it wasn’t something the Crown Prince alone could prevent. The same was true of the recent capital murder cases – the Emperor kept putting pressure on the Crown Prince while Prince Cheng secretly created many obstacles.
There was always a lack of that father-son protection.
Qin Shu narrowed his eyes, recalling the Emperor’s younger days. Everyone knew Prince Luo had the former Emperor’s trust. Though never formally invested as Crown Prince, the former Emperor brought him along to every court discussion in the Imperial Study. Whether it was state affairs, official appointments, or governance, the former Emperor had passed on nearly all his royal wisdom accumulated over decades. In comparison, the current Crown Prince seemed to always have a barrier between himself and the Emperor.
Initially, Qin Shu thought it was because the Empress’s control over the Crown Prince was too strict, but now he dismissed that idea.
Qin Yan said, “I can’t figure it out either. The Crown Prince is the most suitable heir among all the princes from every aspect.”
Qin Shu sighed, “Our speculation here is useless.”
He turned to Qin Wan, “Wan’er, we can only rely on you now… Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to do anything specific. Since you’ll be going to the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager anyway, just let us know if you hear any palace movements. When you have the chance, visit the Crown Princess more often and see if there are any messages to bring out.”
This request was something Qin Wan could fulfill. She nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Qin Shu was very pleased. “Alright, you’ve been in the palace all day. Go rest now.”
After Qin Wan took her leave, Qin Yan anxiously asked, “Father, is His Majesty planning to depose the Crown Prince?”
Qin Shu shook his head, “I don’t know either, but I feel this incident is unusual. Besides Prince Cheng, someone else is stirring trouble behind the scenes. However, I can’t figure out who this person might be…”
Qin Yan thought carefully for a moment. “Among the royal family members who still hold power at court, could it be Prince Rui?!”
The current Prince Rui was Yan Chi. Qin Shu’s brows furrowed deeply. “Even if he’s causing trouble, what grudge could he have against the Crown Prince? Besides, if the Crown Prince can’t ascend the throne, it won’t be him either. He has no reason to do this.”
“But… but when the former Prince Rui met with misfortune… Although it wasn’t the Crown Prince’s doing, I don’t believe he’s truly staying quiet and doing nothing now. His temperament doesn’t seem like someone who would easily accept the old Prince’s death.”
Qin Shu nodded, “That’s true, but there’s no evidence linking the old Prince’s death to anything. I still don’t think it’s him.”
Qin Yan asked helplessly, “Then who else could it be?”
Qin Shu couldn’t think of anyone at the moment. Qin Yan seemed to recall something and said, “I remember what Ninth Sister told me.”
Qin Shu looked at him as Qin Wan said, “She said that although our sister became the Crown Princess, the Marquis Manor is still the Marquis Manor, and the Eastern Palace is the Eastern Palace. We should prioritize the Marquis Manor…”
Upon hearing this, Qin Shu’s brows immediately furrowed. “When did she say this?”
“Several days ago, before Zhang Kaide’s incident.”
Qin Shu gave a bitter smile, “She couldn’t have known about today’s situation that early, could she? If that’s the case, then it really might be related to Yan Chi.”
Father and son exchanged helpless looks, but they couldn’t possibly ask Qin Wan about it.
Qin Shu waved his hand, “Let’s see how things develop. If it comes to that point, we can only prioritize the Marquis Manor.”
After saying this, Qin Shu felt mentally exhausted. He suddenly somewhat regretted marrying Qin Chaoyu into the Eastern Palace.
…
…
Qin Wan also felt uneasy. Someone was secretly working against the Crown Prince, and this person certainly couldn’t be Yan Chi.
If she knew everyone was starting to suspect Yan Chi, Qin Wan would probably be torn between laughter and tears.
Yan Chi currently had more important matters in his heart – how could he be involved in plotting against the Crown Prince?!
Back in Pine Breeze Court, Qin Wan couldn’t help but take out the hairpin given to her by Prince Gong’s consort to look at it again. Prince Gong’s consort and Yan Li had been fine all these years, proving that the Emperor wasn’t ruthless. So why was he treating the Crown Prince this way now?
As Qin Yan said, among the current princes, Yan Che was still a reasonable choice. He was certainly better than Yan Qi.
But the Emperor was being too harsh on both Yan Che and the Empress.
Qin Wan couldn’t understand this matter. Looking at the writing on the wooden hairpin, she thought of the writing on the Zhenlong chess manual. The former Prince Luo and Prince Gong were truly two completely different people – their writing reflected their personalities. Seeing their handwriting, she seemed to understand why the former Emperor favored Prince Luo more.
It was just like today’s Yan Qi and Yan Che. As the elder, Yan Che was more steady and benevolent in temperament. The Great Zhou Dynasty had already passed its period of military expansion, and except for the northwest, there was rarely any warfare along Zhou’s borders. Such a Zhou Dynasty didn’t need an aggressive and militant emperor. Logically, the Emperor should have chosen Yan Che, who was more like himself.
Qin Wan couldn’t make sense of it. Thinking of Qin Chaoyu’s words, she became even more doubtful about the relationship between the Emperor and Empress.
For someone as intelligent as the Empress to let herself and her son end up in this situation – it wasn’t right.
Holding the wooden hairpin in her hand, Qin Wan suddenly had a thought and took out the jade pendant hanging around her neck. Both were tokens of love, both carved with characters, though this “Lu” character was more ancient and unadorned. Her wedding to Yan Chi wasn’t far off now. Originally, she only wanted to investigate her father’s case, but now she felt herself caught in an even more complex situation. Could her father’s case be connected to the power struggles in court?
Speaking of power, although Prince Jin held authority, he was naturally detached and didn’t have a powerful maternal clan. Such a Prince Jin had almost no possibility of becoming Crown Prince, yet he still died, and her father was likely collateral damage.
Qin Wan’s mind was in turmoil. She felt as if she had entered a layered maze – just when she thought she was reaching the end, she was blocked by another wall. She wandered outside the wall, but always ended up in dead ends. If these cases were interconnected, where was the key point?
Unable to make sense of it all, Qin Wan could only retire early. Thinking of Qin Shu’s instructions, she entered the palace again early the next day.
Within her capabilities, she didn’t mind helping the Marquis Manor.
Today, Shoukang Palace was livelier than yesterday. When Qin Wan reached the palace gates, she saw Elder Maid Chen walking out with a smile. Upon seeing Qin Wan, Elder Maid Chen immediately curtseyed and said, “Young Master Yan Ze has arrived, accompanied by Princess Yue Ning. They’re playing chess right now.”
Qin Wan smiled slightly – it seemed Prince Yi must be doing better.
However, Elder Maid Chen continued, “After the Empress Dowager returned from the Eastern Palace yesterday, she wasn’t feeling well. Only when Young Master Yan Ze arrived today did she show a smile.”
The Empress Dowager had stayed quite long at the Eastern Palace yesterday. Qin Wan had returned directly to the manor from the Eastern Palace in the afternoon and didn’t know about the Empress Dowager’s discomfort.
“Is it because of the Crown Prince’s confinement? Is it serious?”
“She took the pills left by the Princess and isn’t in serious condition, though she doesn’t look well.” Speaking softly, Elder Maid Chen continued, “It is indeed because of the Crown Prince’s matter. Last night, the Empress Dowager wanted to invite His Majesty over, but when someone was sent to Chongzheng Palace, His Majesty was handling state affairs. Though he said he was handling affairs, it was just an excuse.”
Qin Wan’s heart jumped. “His Majesty is…”
“Ah.” Elder Maid Chen sighed, “His Majesty is very displeased with the Crown Prince.”
Qin Wan understood, feeling a chill in her heart. All signs indicated that the Crown Prince’s situation was very precarious.
The Empress Dowager had always favored the Crown Prince and valued ancestral institutions. According to tradition, deposing an established heir would affect the nation’s fortune, so throughout history, the installation of heirs was always done with great caution. Once invested, they wouldn’t be easily deposed. It seemed the Empress Dowager had started to worry as well.
Though worried inside, Qin Wan maintained a calm exterior. “Please don’t worry, as long as the Empress Dowager is well, that’s what matters.”
Elder Maid Chen nodded hurriedly and invited Qin Wan inside. At the warm chamber’s entrance, they heard Yan Ze saying, “Father’s knee is an old ailment. It flares up with pain and swelling every year around this time. Fortunately, we have Divine Physician Sun at the manor. He’s been treating Father these past few days with mugwort moxibustion and medicinal decoctions, which have brought much relief. Father even said that if His Majesty develops the same condition, he’d bring Divine Physician Sun to treat him in the palace.”
The Empress Dowager smiled at this. “I haven’t heard of His Majesty having such ailments. It should be nothing serious.”
Yan Ze made a surprised sound. “Father said they sustained their injuries together. Has His Majesty’s injury healed on its own?”
The Empress Dowager explained, “I remember. It was their first time at the Wei Mountain hunting grounds. They competed to see who could tame a wild horse first. Both ended up falling off and getting injured in the same place. His Majesty did experience some discomfort afterward, but I haven’t heard anything about it since.”
Yan Ze laughed, “So that’s what happened. His Majesty’s injury must have been minor.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan couldn’t help but enter the warm chamber. After paying her respects, she asked, “Were the Empress Dowager and Young Master discussing how His Majesty and the Prince were both injured before?”
The Empress Dowager nodded, “It was when they were teenagers. His Majesty still had some mischievous tendencies and insisted on taming wild horses, which led to the accident.”
Qin Wan quickly asked, “Was it a knee injury? Was it serious at the time?”
The Empress Dowager couldn’t remember clearly, but Elder Maid Chen recalled, “It was serious. Both their knees were severely swollen, though there was no bleeding. The Imperial Physician examined them and said no bones were broken, but afterward, both Prince Yi and His Majesty had knee problems.”
Yue Ning said, “Your medical skills are the best. Do you know why this happened?”
Qin Wan explained simply, “It’s the soft tendons between the bones in the knee.” She then asked, “How did His Majesty’s injury heal?”
Elder Maid Chen and the Empress Dowager exchanged glances before Elder Maid Chen said, “Well… it seems His Majesty stopped experiencing pain after ascending the throne?”
Qin Wan’s brows furrowed slightly. The Empress Dowager smiled, “You truly live up to your reputation as a healer. You must know how to treat this condition. Since Prince Yi’s knee is troubling him again, perhaps you could take a look?”
Since Prince Yi was male, he probably chose Sun Muqing for convenience. Qin Wan nodded, though her mind was elsewhere.
She hadn’t told the whole story. If the knee’s soft tendons were severely injured, they were almost impossible to heal completely. The Imperial Physicians must have tried their best at the time. Prince Yi was the best example – he still experienced pain after all these years, yet His Majesty’s knee had healed without treatment!
This was extremely strange—
This was Qin Wan’s assessment as a physician, but since it was an old matter, she didn’t say more.
After watching the chess game for a while and seeing the Empress Dowager in good spirits, Qin Wan thought of visiting Yan Sui. However, just as she stepped outside, she saw a palace maid looking around alertly before approaching her and quickly saying, “Princess, the Crown Princess wishes to see you.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the palace maid left, making it appear to others as if she had merely paid her respects to Qin Wan.
Watching the palace maid leave, Qin Wan was surprised that Qin Chaoyu had managed to buy off a palace maid from Shoukang Palace so quickly.
However, having just met Qin Chaoyu yesterday, what excuse could she use to visit her today?
After some thought, Qin Wan turned to Elder Maid Chen. “Elder Maid, I have something to ask you.”
Elder Maid Chen quickly put down her work. “Princess, please just give your orders. There’s no need for such courtesy with this servant.”
Qin Wan feigned difficulty. “You know the Crown Prince’s situation. When I returned to the Marquis Manor last night, Uncle and Aunt were very worried about the Crown Princess, so they asked me to visit the Eastern Palace again today to convey some messages…”
The Eastern Palace lacked nothing, so she couldn’t use supplies as an excuse. Rather than finding another pretext, it seemed better to use this reason that everyone would expect.
“But with the Crown Prince under house arrest, I’m afraid it might not be appropriate…”
Hearing this, Elder Maid Chen smiled. “The Empress Dowager cares deeply for the Eastern Palace and has been sending lunch there every day. You can mention this to the Empress Dowager and go under the pretense of delivering lunch on her behalf. It’s not difficult to arrange!”
Qin Wan was secretly delighted – this was a very convenient solution. Without delay, she went to speak with the Empress Dowager, who seemed to have anticipated this and sighed, “They must be worried. Chaoyu hasn’t been in the palace long and already faces such difficulties.” She then asked with a smile, “What did they say to you?”
Qin Wan replied, “Yesterday when I spoke with Eighth Sister, she was worried and asked me to inquire with Uncle if there was anything they could do to help the Crown Prince. When Uncle heard this, he knew Eighth Sister was anxious, so he asked me to tell her to focus on taking good care of the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace.”
The Empress Dowager nodded, “That’s exactly right. When you go over, make sure to comfort her well.”
Qin Wan’s words were perfectly normal, and the Empress Dowager had no doubts. Soon after, Qin Wan headed toward the Eastern Palace accompanied by palace servants from Shoukang Palace.
At the Eastern Palace, the imperial guards initially stopped Qin Wan, but let her through when she showed the Empress Dowager’s order.
The Eastern Palace was a series of connected palace buildings. With the Crown Prince under house arrest, the palace grounds seemed somewhat desolate. News of Qin Wan’s arrival quickly reached Yan Che and Qin Chaoyu. While Qin Chaoyu thought Qin Wan had arrived quickly, she was surprised to find Yan Che had also come out when she went to greet her.
The lunch from Shoukang Palace was supposed to be delivered directly to the side hall – why had Yan Che come out?
…
…
While waiting outside, Qin Wan hadn’t expected to see Yan Che either. However, Yan Che soon emerged from the side hall. After Qin Wan paid her respects, Yan Che asked, “You’ve come from Shoukang Palace?”
Qin Wan quickly replied, “Yes, to deliver lunch and visit Eighth Sister.”
Hearing she was here to see Qin Chaoyu, Yan Che raised his eyebrows. “Does the Marquis Manor have messages to convey?”
Yan Che’s guess wasn’t far off, though he probably hadn’t realized it was Qin Chaoyu who wanted to see her.
Qin Wan could only nod. “Yes… Uncle and Aunt are worried about Eighth Sister.”
Yan Che stood at the doorway looking at Qin Wan, not knowing what to say. Only when he noticed someone watching from a distance did he look up and see Qin Chaoyu approaching. Yan Che could only say, “Your Eighth Sister is here. Go ahead.”
Qin Wan glanced at Qin Chaoyu, curtsied, and left.
Yan Che watched Qin Wan leave. When Qin Chaoyu was about to come over to pay her respects, he turned and went back to the side hall.
Qin Chaoyu pondered for a moment before leading Qin Wan back to her quarters.
“Was it safe to buy off the palace maid from Shoukang Palace?”
Qin Wan asked as soon as they entered. Qin Chaoyu replied, “It’s fine. I only said I was homesick and had some messages I wanted you to carry. She wouldn’t dare relay messages to anyone else.”
Only then did Qin Wan feel relieved. “Why did you summon me?”
Qin Chaoyu didn’t know the details of Prince Jin’s case. After some thought, she relayed the Empress’s message. When she finished, she saw Qin Wan’s expression change slightly and quickly asked, “Does this have anything to do with the Crown Prince’s current predicament?”
Qin Wan composed herself. “The Empress was confined because of Song Xiwen’s death, which is connected to Prince Jin’s case.” She murmured, then shook her head. “Actually… I’m not sure yet, but since the Empress wanted you to relay this message to me, I should go see this person.”
Qin Chaoyu looked at Qin Wan with a complex expression, feeling that Qin Wan was hiding something. Normally, people would have many questions upon hearing the Empress’s message, but Qin Wan hadn’t asked a single question, only showing great interest in Madam Qian. This proved she knew more than herself.
After a moment, Qin Chaoyu sighed, “Never mind, I don’t understand the meaning either. Just be careful – the Empress asked you to act discreetly.” She paused, then added, “I can’t look after the Marquis Manor from within the palace now. If anything happens at home, please lend your help.”
Qin Wan looked at Qin Chaoyu somewhat helplessly. The two had previously maintained their distance, with Qin Chaoyu even showing hostility toward her, but now they could have a proper conversation.
“I won’t refuse what I can do.”
After saying this and seeing that Qin Chaoyu had nothing else to convey, Qin Wan took her leave from the Eastern Palace.
Qin Chaoyu accompanied Qin Wan to the front hall, and sure enough, they saw Tang Fu standing at the corner of the side hall. After seeing Qin Wan leave, he too returned to the side hall.
A flickering light flashed in Qin Chaoyu’s eyes.
Sometimes, a woman’s intuition could be incredibly accurate.
…
…
To avoid arousing suspicion, Qin Wan returned to Shoukang Palace and forced herself to wait until the afternoon before leaving the palace.
South City, Anmin Ward, Zhang Family Lane… Madam Qian…
These words kept replaying in Qin Wan’s mind. After so many twists and turns, she could finally uncover a small portion of last year’s Prince Jin case.
Song Xiwen died just days after the incident. How he died could explain many things.
Qin Wan never imagined that it would be the Empress who told her this, yet Song Xiwen had died in Kunning Palace.
Initially, Qin Wan couldn’t contain her excitement, but as the carriage headed toward the South City, she quickly calmed down.
The Empress and Crown Prince were in a very precarious situation, yet she chose this moment to tell her this information – what was her intention? Shouldn’t her most urgent matter be getting the Crown Prince’s confinement lifted? The corpse case had stalled in Prince Cheng’s hands, and it was this same case that had led to her confinement. Why tell her this now? Was she trying to use Qin Wan to clear her name? Yet she had admitted that Song Xiwen indeed died in Kunning Palace.
Qin Wan was wary of the Empress’s intelligence and realized this could be a trap.
So she collected herself and ordered, “Go to Prince Rui’s manor first—”
Bai Ying changed course, quickly heading toward Prince Rui’s manor. In the carriage, Qin Wan grew increasingly uneasy.
Whether it was Li Muyun’s unusual behavior or the sudden changes in court these past two days, she felt as if she were sinking into some kind of quagmire. Now the Empress’s words seemed to offer hope, but this hope felt like a baited trap. In her confusion, she could only become more cautious.
Prince Rui’s manor was as quiet as usual. When Qin Wan arrived, Yan Chi was meeting with guests, so she went to the waterside pavilion by herself.
Previously, Qin Wan hadn’t been sure what Yan Chi was planning to do, but now that she knew, she was even less inclined to interfere with his plans.
After waiting in the pavilion for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Yan Chi arrived. Qin Wan quickly asked, “Have the guests left?”
Yan Chi smiled faintly, “It was one of Father’s old subordinates, now stationed with the Luo Province garrison.”
Luo Province garrison? Questions arose in Qin Wan’s mind, but she didn’t ask them. Instead, she said, “I came to discuss something with you.”
Yan Chi smiled and first pulled her into an embrace. “I have something to tell you too.”
Qin Wan’s eyes widened – if they were just going to talk, why the embrace?
When Qin Wan struggled slightly, Yan Chi held her even tighter, lowering his head to nuzzle against her temple before carrying her to sit on the window-side couch. As Qin Wan was about to struggle again, Yan Chi said, “I didn’t know you were coming. There’s no brazier in the pavilion – you’d get cold sitting by yourself.”
This reason was so proper that Qin Wan found it somewhat logical, so she stopped struggling. She then related what Zhan Yang had told her when he came to see her. Before she could mention the Empress’s message, Yan Chi’s brows furrowed tightly as he said, “This case was closed half a year ago. Li Muyun must have become alert after seeing you tracking down that residence. If he’s reviewing an old case after so many days, there can be only one possibility – to check if any loose ends were left.”
“But Li Muyun was barely involved in Ning Buyi’s case and didn’t obstruct it at all.”
Yan Chi kneaded Qin Wan’s hand as he held it. “Perhaps he also accepted that Ning Buyi should be sacrificed, because there weren’t completely no clues at the time. Now he’s reviewing the old case just to see if any clues might expose him, especially after learning that you’ve looked at the old case files.”
Qin Wan had speculated similarly, and hearing Yan Chi say this only confirmed her thoughts.
“But why did he investigate the buyer of the Shen residence?”
Yan Chi’s brows tightened. “He might suspect you’re connected to the Shen family, and knowing the Shen residence was sold, he went to see who bought it. That’s the simplest explanation. Now that he knows Sun Muqing bought the Shen residence, he’s likely to be suspicious of Sun Muqing.”
Qin Wan sighed inwardly – this was what she worried about most. Sun Muqing had such pure intentions but wouldn’t understand how treacherous the hearts of people in the capital could be.
If Li Muyun became suspicious of Sun Muqing, what would he do?
“I feel that Li Muyun is like Ning Buyi – there’s someone else behind them.”
After saying this, Qin Wan looked at Yan Chi, whose expression was grave. “Li Muyun’s background and actions indeed don’t seem like someone who could control Ning Buyi. Moreover, after all this time, Li Muyun has been used as a pawn by Prince Cheng without gaining anything.”
At this point, Yan Chi said, “Even if you hadn’t come today, I was going to send you a message. There are new developments regarding the Fu family’s child.”
Qin Wan immediately perked up. “Where is the person?”
A deep look flashed in Yan Chi’s eyes. “If our investigation is correct, that person is now in Prince Gong’s manor.”
“Prince Gong’s manor?!” Qin Wan almost jumped up from Yan Chi’s lap in shock. “How is that possible?!”
Yan Chi had already been through his shock and continued, “When Yan Li was four, he had several guards around his age. The Fu family’s child should be among those guards. Now, except for one guard who was dismissed ten years ago for theft, the other children are still in the manor. Although Prince Gong’s manor’s position is awkward, it still bears the title of a prince’s residence and has quite a few guards and servants. If Prince Gong’s consort weren’t so detached from worldly affairs, the manor could be even more prosperous and lively.”
Qin Wan thought of Prince Gong’s manor’s desolation and remained lost in thought.
“But when Prince Gong’s consort and Yan Li were brought to the capital, they were like prisoners. How could they have hidden someone from His Majesty’s net? The entire Fu clan was executed. Although children are innocent, as direct descendants of the Fu family, they shouldn’t have been spared.”
No emperor would tolerate rebellion – how did the Fu child escape those watchful eyes?
Yan Chi also said, “This is indeed very strange. When I first received the news, I thought there must be a mistake. But after repeated confirmation, they entered Prince Gong’s manor. Yet at that time, the Fu clan was completely executed, and all the people around Prince Gong’s consort and Yan Li were replaced. How could a widow and orphan have protected a Fu child?”
“Unless—” Qin Wan felt a sense of absurdity but couldn’t help saying it, “Unless His Majesty knew about the child’s existence but didn’t kill them. For some unknown reason, His Majesty spared that child and even let them grow up alongside Yan Li.”
After saying this, Qin Wan felt her scalp tingle – this was too bizarre. How merciful would His Majesty have to be to tolerate this?!
“This point indeed cannot be explained, but my people wouldn’t make a mistake.”
Since Yan Chi’s people wouldn’t be wrong, this situation must exist for a reason – they just didn’t know what it was.
Qin Wan was nearly going crazy – how could things be so complicated? The relationship between the Emperor and Empress was bewildering, yet the Emperor showed extraordinary leniency toward Prince Gong’s consort and Yan Li, even allowing Fu family blood to survive. It made Qin Wan feel like something was completely backward…
Seeing Qin Wan’s deeply furrowed brows, Yan Chi reached out to smooth them. “You said you had something to discuss with me?”
Qin Wan pulled herself out of her confusion and quickly related the message the Empress had sent through Qin Chaoyu. Yan Chi’s expression immediately turned serious!
“The Empress gave you such information?!”
Qin Wan nodded, “We’ve been unable to find the key players from last year’s incident. This Madam Qian might be one of them. Zhu Yucheng and Kang Bowen’s deaths were strange, and Wang Han was just a minor player. Now that the Empress suddenly revealed this person, I almost rushed straight to South City.”
Yan Chi’s brows furrowed slightly. He understood Qin Wan’s excitement, but…
“In the future, if something like this happens, you must tell me first.”
His tone was serious. Qin Wan felt warmth in her heart. “Don’t worry, isn’t that why I came to you?”
Yan Chi pinched her waist before saying solemnly, “The Empress has an ingenious mind. By sending this message to you, she’s sending it to me.”
Qin Wan’s eyes widened. “Could it be that she wants to deal with you…”
Yan Chi shook his head with a smile, unable to resist stroking her face. “At this point, she has no energy to deal with me, and besides, I have no conflict with her. I suspect she wants to borrow a knife to kill someone – my knife, to thwart His Majesty’s next move against her and the Crown Prince.”
Qin Wan blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”
Yan Chi smiled. “Besides me, no one in court dares to oppose His Majesty, whether openly or secretly. I guess she’s revealing this information to tell us about His Majesty’s weakness or vulnerability. Once we make a move, it will throw His Majesty into disarray. When his attention is diverted elsewhere, she’ll have her chance.”
Though Yan Chi didn’t know what Madam Qian knew, he had accurately analyzed the Empress’s psychology. Qin Wan instantly felt relieved that she hadn’t gone to South City. “She wants to use us! But this case is connected to Prince Jin’s case – what does that have to do with His Majesty?”
Yan Chi’s expression darkened. After a moment, he said softly, “Have you considered that Prince Jin’s death, or Consort Jin’s death, might be connected to His Majesty?”
Qin Wan was stunned – she truly hadn’t thought of this.
She wasn’t naturally rebellious; the most she had considered was court struggles and deception. With the Emperor so high above, already possessing everything under heaven, would he be involved in such matters? If he wanted someone dead or alive, wouldn’t it just take a few words?
Seeing Qin Wan’s expression, Yan Chi knew she hadn’t considered this. He explained, “Sitting on the throne doesn’t mean one can do whatever they want. Common people’s lives may be like ants, and even court officials may not matter much, but princes and royal sons all have their power. They can’t be executed carelessly. Even if they could be, an emperor must still fear the historians’ brushes. So even someone as exalted as His Majesty isn’t completely without constraints.”
After a pause, he continued, “In the corpse case until now, besides confining the Empress, His Majesty hasn’t put much pressure on Prince Cheng, and the case hasn’t progressed. His Majesty seems like an outsider. Of course, he has many state affairs and can’t focus solely on this case, but thinking of last year’s Prince Jin case, which was concluded extremely quickly, even the case files disappeared – only His Majesty could accomplish this so easily without leaving traces.”
Qin Wan couldn’t process this immediately… The case combined with court struggles was already complicated, and now it involved His Majesty?!
Last time, Yan Chi had analyzed His Majesty’s attitude toward the Crown Prince. Then, she had only felt that His Majesty’s heart was as deep as the ocean, impossible for a young woman like her to fathom. Later developments proved Yan Chi’s words true. Now Yan Chi had said something even more surprising and frightening, and she instinctively believed it!
For the first time, Qin Wan felt that all her logical reasoning was useless. She knew too little about royal entanglements and imperial machinations. When someone stands at such an absolute height, their thoughts differ from ordinary people. Qin Wan felt lost.
“But if it’s His Majesty, could Consort Jin’s death be related to him? Or is it true as rumored that Prince Jin and Consort Jin had an affair, and Prince Jin’s death was His Majesty’s order? Or… was His Majesty just covering up royal secrets and scandals?”
Yan Chi held Qin Wan tighter. “These are just my conjectures because the Empress suddenly revealing such information to you is too strange.”
Qin Wan also felt it was extremely strange, but she hadn’t thought about His Majesty’s involvement. At most, she thought the Empress was using her to clear her suspicion.
“Want to go to South City and see?” Yan Chi suddenly asked.
Qin Wan looked at him. “Should we go? If the Empress anticipated I would tell you, could this be a trap?”
If Qin Wan herself needed to be cautious, how much more so when bringing Yan Chi into danger!
But Yan Chi smiled. “I guess this isn’t a trap, just the Empress’s last resort. She could have revealed this information earlier, but she had other options then. Knowing the truth about Song Xiwen’s death might not be entirely advantageous to her either.”
Indeed, otherwise, why would the Empress wait until now to tell her these things?
And with Song Xiwen dying in Kunning Palace, regardless of how he died, the Empress couldn’t escape involvement.
Qin Wan hurriedly said, “Then let’s go take a look. When should we go?”
Yan Chi looked at the sky outside, where the sun was setting but twilight hadn’t yet fallen.
Tightening his embrace, Yan Chi said, “Let’s eat first, then go after dark.”
Qin Wan nodded, though her mind was still on the Emperor. Seeing her like this, Yan Chi smiled. “Maybe I’m overthinking it. Let’s first hear what Madam Qian has to say. The Empress’s actions might be meant to implicate someone else?”
The more Yan Chi spoke this way, the more Qin Wan felt he was right. “But… I only recently learned that the relationship between the Emperor and Empress is very poor. Moreover, the Empress is very… indifferent toward His Majesty. They say she never tried to secure his favor, let alone compete for it. Her attitude toward His Majesty isn’t like a wife to a husband, nor like other empresses in history. Even after being confined for so many days, she never asks to see His Majesty, as if she’s in a standoff with him. If the Empress is playing a game with His Majesty, then revealing information to us that could cause him trouble makes sense.”
Hearing this, Yan Chi fell into deep thought. Qin Wan felt that when it came to royal matters, Yan Chi’s insights were always more accurate and sharp. Seeing his expression, she quickly asked, “What else have you thought of?”
Yan Chi shook his head. “Just finding it strange… with the Empress acting this way, I wonder how she plans to maintain any room for reconciliation.”
Qin Wan was startled – yes! If the Empress truly opposed the Emperor, did that mean she didn’t want Yan Che to continue as Crown Prince?! No matter what, Yan Huai was Zhou’s emperor. If he truly disregarded marital feelings, forget deposing the Crown Prince – he could even depose the Empress!
Qin Wan suddenly felt eager to know what Madam Qian would say.
Yan Chi quickly collected his thoughts. He pinched Qin Wan’s cheek. “Alright, let’s not think too much for now. I’ll have food prepared, and we’ll go to South City after dinner.”
Qin Wan made a sound of agreement, and Yan Chi called out instructions. After chatting for a while longer, dinner was ready. They didn’t change locations but ate in the side hall of the waterside pavilion. Though Qin Wan had visited Prince Rui’s manor many times, she rarely dined with Yan Chi. A new brazier had been added to the side hall, and with doors and windows closed, the room was warm and cozy. The originally cold room now held the fragrance of food, and the cold outside became irrelevant to the two inside.
After dinner, dusk had slowly fallen. Since they needed to be discreet, Yan Chi first sent someone to South City. After about half an hour, he took Qin Wan in a small carriage to Anmin Ward.
Anmin Ward was a residential area in South City mainly inhabited by common people. The houses were numerous and crowded, with alleyways crisscrossing – first-time visitors would likely get lost. Yan Chi had sent people ahead to locate Zhang Family Lane, and after a brief inquiry, they learned where Madam Qian lived. By the time Yan Chi and Qin Wan arrived, it was completely dark. Though in South City, Zhang Family Lane was very quiet. Poor families couldn’t afford extra lamp oil after dark, let alone drinking and merrymaking, so the carriage arrived silently in the darkness before Madam Qian’s small courtyard.
Qin Wan wore a cloak, and before leaving the carriage, Yan Chi pulled up her hood. After they descended, Bai Feng went forward to knock.
After three soft “dong dong dong” sounds, slow movement could be heard from inside the courtyard, but it quickly stopped. Bai Feng knocked three more times, and this time the person inside seemed to realize they hadn’t misheard. Quick footsteps approached the gate. The bolt was drawn, and the gate opened just a crack, revealing a face in flickering light. Though not visible, they could see an elderly woman behind the gate.
“Who is it?” A hoarse voice asked warily.
Bai Feng said softly, “The Empress sent us to find you.”
At these words, the gate slammed shut with a bang. The person behind it seemed frightened, leaning against the door.
Bai Feng’s brows furrowed, and just as he was about to knock again, the gate opened once more, this time completely. In the dim light, Qin Wan saw an elderly woman with graying hair and a wrinkled face. She was simply dressed, with sharp eyes that drooped at the corners, giving her a somewhat harsh appearance.
“I knew this day would come. Come in and talk.”
Madam Qian’s voice was icy. After briefly examining Qin Wan and Yan Chi behind Bai Feng, she turned and entered the courtyard.