When Qin Wan returned to the Marquis Manor, she was summoned to the main courtyard. Qin Shu and Madam Hu naturally had many questions, but Qin Wan couldn’t reveal that the Empress Dowager’s illness was due to an argument with the Emperor, much less the Emperor’s attitude toward deposing the Crown Prince.
She could only give vague responses. Qin Shu and Madam Hu saw that Qin Wan was unable to speak freely and didn’t press further. After Qin Wan left, the couple was naturally alarmed. Leaving the main courtyard, Qin Wan felt uneasy, and instead of returning to Songfeng Court, she changed direction and headed straight for Prince Rui’s mansion.
After Yan Zhen’s wedding, Qin Wan and Yan Chi’s wedding date was drawing closer, but now neither had much thought to spare for their upcoming marriage. There were more pressing matters before them. When she reached the prince’s mansion, Yan Chi was just about to leave. Seeing Qin Wan appear, Yan Chi was pleasantly surprised. “If you’d come any later, you would have missed me.”
Seeing him about to leave, Qin Wan only asked, “Where are you going?”
Yan Chi replied, “To the palace to see Grandmother. I heard she fell ill last night?”
Since Qin Wan had arrived, Yan Chi naturally turned back to her. As they walked, Qin Wan said, “Yes, she’s ill. Early this morning, Matron Chen sent someone to find me. Don’t worry too much – I’ve examined her, and it’s nothing serious. It’s just that anger attacked her heart, triggering her previous ailments.”
Yan Chi immediately frowned. “Anger attacked her heart?”
Qin Wan nodded, and after they reached the waterside pavilion, she said, “I came to find you about this matter. Matron Chen said that last night, the Empress Dowager invited His Majesty to Shoukang Palace. They had an argument, after which His Majesty stormed out, and the Empress Dowager fell ill.”
“Is it about the Crown Prince?” Yan Chi’s brows furrowed.
The biggest commotion in court now was the officials’ petition to depose the Crown Prince. The Empress Dowager usually didn’t actively invite the Emperor to Shoukang Palace – there must have been a significant reason for doing so now. Yan Chi continued, “Has His Majesty truly decided to depose the Crown Prince?”
Qin Wan nodded. “Yes. You know the Empress Dowager – she has always protected the Crown Prince. Now that His Majesty is insisting on deposing him, it’s naturally a huge blow to her. His Majesty must be very determined, which is why he and the Empress Dowager parted on bad terms.”
Yan Chi’s phoenix eyes narrowed. “The Emperor surely didn’t decide to depose the Crown Prince just because of Zhang Kaide’s matter. First confining the Empress, then having Yu Wenxian investigate Zhang Kaide in Shuoxi, followed by Zhang Kaide’s imprisonment – this series of events must have been planned. His Majesty has played each move perfectly.”
This was exactly why Qin Wan had come to find Yan Chi. She said, “His Majesty had thought of deposing the Crown Prince long ago. This doesn’t make sense. If His Majesty was dissatisfied with the Crown Prince, why make him Crown Prince at all? Installing and then deposing him – how much turmoil will this cause in court…”
Yan Chi frowned for a moment, then suddenly said, “With this installation and deposition, the Crown Prince and Prince Cheng began fighting, and the Crown Prince’s faction all surfaced. Moreover, last year’s appointment of Yan Che was a choice made when there was no choice. Externally there was the Northern Army, internally there were all the civil and military officials. At that time, Yan Che’s influence was very high, and the Empress had planned everything thoroughly.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan felt a chill run down her spine. “First going along with the tide to install him, then using the opportunity to clean out the Crown Prince’s faction?”
Yan Chi’s brows were tightly knit, his eyes deep with thought. “Indeed, that’s possible.”
But if so, why was His Majesty dissatisfied with the Crown Prince before this? He had never intended to let the Crown Prince ascend to the throne, but why?
Yan Chi was thoroughly puzzled, and Qin Wan also found it very strange. Yan Che was the legitimate son – at least more suitable to be Emperor than Yan Qi. Surely His Majesty wouldn’t depose Yan Che to install Yan Qi? Qin Wan shook her head, instinctively feeling it impossible. But if Yan Tuan was dissatisfied with Yan Che, who did he favor? The eighth prince from Concubine Wan? The sixth prince whose mother died early and who remained inconspicuous? It couldn’t be Yan Sui…
Yan Chi and Qin Wan exchanged glances, both with deep confusion in their eyes.
The questions in their minds kept accumulating, and they had many strange speculations, but without evidence, neither Qin Wan nor Yan Chi could be certain of right or wrong. Qin Wan didn’t stay long at Prince Rui’s mansion. After seeing her off, Yan Chi also went to Shoukang Palace, where he found Yan Li had already arrived.
The Empress Dowager lay clothed on the bed, leaning against a large backrest, with Yan Li sitting beside her, speaking softly.
When someone announced the arrival outside, Yan Li immediately stood up. “Seventh Brother—”
Yan Chi stepped forward to pay his respects, seeing the Empress Dowager’s pale face, his heart sank. “How did Grandmother suddenly fall ill?”
The Empress Dowager smiled. “It’s nothing. I was already ill before, and with the weather turning cold these days, naturally, I would fall ill again. Wan’er has already seen me – you needn’t worry.”
Yan Chi nodded, and Yan Li said from the side, “Grandmother must have been negligent these past days. When winter comes, you especially can’t fear the cold.”
The Empress Dowager reproached teasingly, “You’re good at talking. Why don’t you come keep me company for walks?”
Yan Li rubbed his head. “Yes, yes, yes, it’s all this grandson’s fault.”
With Yan Li keeping the Empress Dowager amused, she wore a smile, though Yan Chi could see it didn’t reach her eyes.
The Empress Dowager seemed quite weak, so after keeping her company for a while, the two bid farewell.
Walking side by side, the brothers left. Yan Li sighed, “Grandmother’s health is getting worse and worse. It’s worrying. They say winter is hardest on the elderly. I wonder what Qin Wan said after examining her – is it serious?”
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes. “Grandmother has a knot in her heart. Medicine alone won’t cure her.”
Yan Li fell silent, unable to respond. Yan Chi sensed something was wrong and turned to look at him. “You knew too?”
Yan Li smiled bitterly. “What is Seventh Brother referring to?”
Yan Chi looked deeply at Yan Li for a moment, then simply said, “Grandmother fell ill after arguing with His Majesty about the Crown Prince.” After a pause, he added by way of explanation, “I’ve already seen Wan’er.”
Yan Li understood and then sighed. “If that’s the case, then there’s nothing we can do to help. How can we guess His Majesty’s thoughts?”
Yan Chi said, “His Majesty’s dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince is strange.”
Hearing this, Yan Li’s eyes rolled thoughtfully. “Strange… it is… After all, the Crown Prince was just installed and it’s only been a year… Ah, unfortunately, I don’t understand court affairs and can’t see clearly. The Ministry of Personnel is already in chaos because of Zhang Kaide’s matter. It seems before, everyone in court highly respected the Crown Prince, but now, it’s as if they can’t distance themselves from him fast enough. Everything’s the same everywhere.”
Having grown up in the shadow of Prince Gong’s rebellion, Yan Li naturally understood these things better than most. Hearing him speak this way, Yan Chi couldn’t help patting his shoulder. Yan Li shrugged and smiled. “It’s nothing. I’ve long accepted it. As for the Crown Prince… perhaps it’s fate…”
Yan Li’s tone was unusually heavy. Yan Chi turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
Yan Li smiled. “Seventh Brother, do you believe in fate? I feel… never mind about others, just look at me… Maybe I was born with this fate. I’ve seen through it, so I don’t ask for anything anymore. After all, asking won’t change anything. Maybe the Crown Prince… truly doesn’t have the fate to be Emperor?”
Hearing these words, Yan Chi’s lips twitched into a smile.
Although Yan Chi didn’t mean to mock, his smile clearly showed his disagreement.
Yan Li raised an eyebrow. “Does Seventh Brother think I’m wrong?”
Yan Chi then said, “Well, do you think a person’s life and death are determined by fate?”
Yan Li thought for a moment, then nodded hesitantly. “Probably… Maybe everything is predestined.”
Yan Chi shook his head. “On the battlefield, if my sword is slow, I die; if my sword is fast, the other person dies. There’s no such thing as fate. Every chance at life I’ve had, I fought for myself. Only those who have lost say everything is heaven’s will.”
Yan Li smiled bitterly. “Seventh Brother and I are different…”
Yan Chi didn’t mean to touch Yan Li’s sore spot. “You know what I mean. You’ve never thought about what you want, or you’ve thought about it and given up. When the day comes that you have such thoughts, you won’t believe in fate anymore. Everything must be fought for to count.”
Yan Li pondered these words thoughtfully and didn’t speak much for the rest of the way. After leaving the palace gates, Yan Li returned to his mansion while Yan Chi went to the Ministry of Justice.
The next day, Qin Wan entered the palace again. After giving the Empress Dowager acupuncture, she found that her condition still hadn’t improved, which immediately made Qin Wan uneasy.
However, the Empress Dowager’s body was still weak, and Qin Wan dared not rashly continue with acupuncture. She could only change the prescription and kept the Empress Dowager company for most of the day before leaving. Tomorrow she would go outside the city to establish a memorial grave for her parents, so naturally, she couldn’t enter the palace. By the time she returned to the capital, it would be evening. Qin Wan carefully instructed Matron Chen, and after returning to the manor, she slept well. Early the next morning, Qin Wan took only Bai Ying with her and headed for the city gate.
Qin Wan had arranged to meet Sun Muqing outside the city as well. When Qin Wan arrived, Sun Muqing hadn’t yet come, but Yan Chi was already there.
Though it was still early, black clouds pressed down on the city, and despite being morning, fierce winds howled. Yan Chi boarded Qin Wan’s carriage and said, “It looks like it will snow today.”
It was indeed very cold today. Only after Yan Chi had someone bring up a small hand warmer did it get better. The two shared the carriage and waited for a while. Soon, Sun Muqing arrived alone on horseback, wearing a cloak, with a large package on his horse – naturally the things prepared for the burial. Sun Muqing had expected only Qin Wan, but unexpectedly, it was Yan Chi who first stepped down from the carriage, and then lifted the curtain for Qin Wan to descend.
Sun Muqing was startled and hurriedly bowed. “Greetings to Prince Rui, greetings to the Princess…”
Yan Chi spoke kindly. “No need for formalities.”
Qin Wan smiled. “Doctor Sun, please don’t mind. His Highness is accompanying us today.”
Sun Muqing looked at Qin Wan, then at Yan Chi, and smiled. “I don’t mind at all, I just didn’t expect… haha, let’s go… With His Highness accompanying us, we’ll certainly be safe today… Inside here are the things I prepared for burial. Fearing word would leak out, I didn’t bring anyone with me.”
Qin Wan hadn’t specified these things, but Sun Muqing understood on his own. Qin Wan took the carriage while Yan Chi and the others rode horses, heading toward Tea Mountain south of Qiwu Mountain. Qin Wan had already arranged with Uncle Han, so Han Dong had left the city yesterday to wait. After traveling for over an hour, the group finally reached the foot of Tea Mountain. From afar, they saw Han Dong waiting alone by the road. When the carriage stopped, Han Dong immediately came forward.
After exchanging greetings, Han Dong said properly, “There are only two craftsmen, currently drinking tea at a tea farmer’s house halfway up the mountain. Miss, please lead everyone up first, place the burial items in the coffin, then perform the memorial ceremony before sealing the tomb, to avoid arousing suspicion.”
Uncle Han knew Sun Muqing, but Han Dong didn’t recognize him, nor did he recognize Yan Chi. However, seeing Yan Chi’s distinguished bearing and commanding presence, and how his every look and gesture showed protection toward Qin Wan, Han Dong immediately guessed Yan Chi’s identity and became even more respectful.
The group walked up the mountain path and after about two incense sticks’ worth of time, they saw a new grave site.
The tea field had been cleared, and two very orderly and imposing graves stood silently. The tomb wasn’t yet sealed, and the tombstones were blank. Compared to ordinary family graves, today’s scene seemed somewhat strange, but Sun Muqing looked very satisfied.
“Thank you so much, Princess, for going to such trouble. This place is a feng shui treasure spot, and these tomb materials…”
Sun Muqing carried his bundle and immediately began expressing thanks, which made Qin Wan feel very uncomfortable.
Yan Chi glanced at Qin Wan and said quietly, “Master Sun, no need to rush with thanks. Let’s first organize the items for burial.”
Hearing this, Sun Muqing hurriedly agreed. Han Dong then asked, “After sealing the tomb, shall we perform the ceremony? How would Miss like to arrange it?”
Qin Wan sighed at his words. “This ceremony…”
The ceremony would be difficult to perform. These were unmarked tombstones, and these two graves couldn’t have the owners’ names written on them. When they couldn’t even speak the masters’ names, how could they perform the funeral rites? As Qin Wan was wondering how to resolve this issue, her gaze fell on something in Sun Muqing’s package, and she quickly stepped forward asking, “What is this?”