Snowflakes fell densely on Qin Wan’s shoulders in the cold wind, while Bai Ying held an umbrella beside her. The two walked slowly.
The night’s snow had draped a layer of white mourning cloth over the palace. Within the oppressively quiet high palace walls, Qin Wan felt she could hardly breathe.
Today, the Imperial Guard’s presence had notably increased. The guards patrolled back and forth, examining Qin Wan closely when they encountered her. Reaching the second ceremonial gate, Qin Wan glanced toward Kunning Palace, where the normally resplendent glazed roof tiles were now blackened.
Withdrawing her gaze, Qin Wan headed toward Shoukang Palace.
Shoukang Palace appeared unchanged today, but when Qin Wan met Chen Mama, the elderly maid seemed to have aged years overnight. She curtsied and sighed, “Princess, please don’t go in yet. The Empress Dowager hasn’t slept all night and has just closed her eyes.”
Qin Wan halted her steps and nodded, “Mama, you don’t look well either.”
Chen Mama exhaled deeply, her entire spirit seeming to deflate. Her eyes held deep worry, her gaze grown desolate.
Qin Wan knew she couldn’t ask too much, but with such major events—especially Qin Chaoyu’s disappearance—she felt extremely uneasy. Though she wasn’t the real Ninth Miss, since coming to the capital she had lived in the Marquis’s mansion and received care from Marquis and Madam Qin. By reason and emotion, she couldn’t ignore this.
“Mama, last night… did His Majesty come?”
Qin Wan changed tack, asking about the Emperor. Chen Mama shook her head, “No, His Majesty likely couldn’t attend to the Empress Dowager.”
Yan Sui was indeed in his room, his small frame leaning on the windowsill, reaching for snowflakes outside. The opening door startled him, but turning to see Qin Wan, his face lit up with joy. He climbed down from the windowsill and pattered over to her.
“Why are you here? Is it for Grandmother’s illness?”
Qin Wan looked at Yan Sui with complex emotions. Earlier, when she and Yan Chi had suspected the Emperor, they couldn’t believe he would kill Consort Jin. They thought someone already holding supreme power had no reason to commit murder.
But seeing that dagger, Qin Wan suddenly understood.
If the Emperor were truly Prince Luo, he indeed wouldn’t fear a mere consort.
But if he wasn’t—if there was a secret that could topple him from his supreme position and overturn the entire Great Zhou—then he was capable of any evil, even striking down his closest favored consort.
The palace servants at Xuanji Pavilion had mentioned that before her death, Consort Jin often borrowed paintings to view, even requesting portraits from when the Emperor was still a prince before his ascension.
As a talented scholar from Jiangnan who excelled in calligraphy and painting, she must have discovered something, even finding this dagger. That’s why she felt afraid and wanted Yan Sui to leave the palace, but ultimately couldn’t escape her fate.
Qin Wan stroked Yan Sui’s head, “Yes, the Empress Dowager isn’t well, so I came to treat her.”
Yan Sui looked at her earnestly, “Grandmother will get better, right?”
Qin Wan’s lips twitched slightly, “Yes, she’ll get better. What were you doing just now? It’s very cold outside; you should close the window.”
As she spoke, Qin Wan went to close the window, turning to find Yan Sui standing behind her. “There was a fire last night, a big fire.”
Though Qin Wan hadn’t experienced the previous night, seeing Kunning Palace’s roof, she knew the disturbance had been significant. She took Yan Sui’s hand and sat down, “Were you scared?”
Yan Sui shook his head, then looked at her expectantly, “Why?”
His question made Qin Wan’s heart jump as if he knew she understood the truth.
Qin Wan smiled bitterly, “I don’t know either. Don’t worry about those things. You probably won’t need to attend lessons for a few days. When the Empress Dowager wakes, spend time with her. Otherwise, just practice your calligraphy in your room, alright?”
Yan Sui made a sound of agreement but added, “There are many guards outside.”
Sensing Yan Sui’s unease, Qin Wan leaned closer to comfort him. Looking at his childish face, her heart sank. She didn’t know what the Empress planned, but regarding last year’s case, the Emperor was the primary culprit. Though she had been determined to seek revenge, now facing the reality of the Emperor being the murderer, she felt only powerless and fearful. If one day the Emperor stood before her and she held a knife, could she strike?
Yan Sui’s clear eyes were full of trust, and under such a gaze, she hesitated.
Just as her thoughts were in turmoil, a knock came at the door—it was Su Mama’s voice, “Your Highness, Princess, Prince Gong has arrived.”
Qin Wan’s back instantly stiffened. Thinking of Yan Li reminded her of that strange feeling from before. No wonder she had felt Yan Li and Yan Sui were similar—now knowing the secret, that feeling made sense.
When Yan Li entered, Qin Wan’s smile became somewhat rigid.
Yan Li looked unwell too. Seeing Qin Wan, he said, “Is Grandmother’s health too fragile for shock? Last night’s events… ah…”
Qin Wan took a shallow breath before asking, “What exactly happened last night?”
Yan Li stepped forward, first patting Yan Sui’s head before saying, “Last night… the Empress and Crown Prince left the palace, along with the Crown Princess.”
In Yan Li’s presence, Qin Wan didn’t conceal anything and continued, “My uncle and my Third and Fourth Brothers were all taken into the palace.”
“They’re probably being investigated for any connection to this matter, but I suspect there isn’t any. If there’s no connection, they won’t be charged for now.”
Though Yan Li said this, Qin Wan still felt uncertain. “The capital was under martial law yesterday, so… were they searching for the Empress and Crown Prince?”
Yan Li nodded but said no more. Qin Wan’s heart sank—the Empress must have made preparations long ago. Her departure with the Crown Prince wasn’t simply escaping the palace. For years she had wanted the Crown Prince to ascend the throne, to ensure proper succession, but unexpectedly, the Emperor’s establishment of the heir a year ago had been merely going with the flow, just to maintain control, and perhaps even to test the Empress.
The Emperor’s profound scheming, as Yan Chi had mentioned before, showed his mastery of imperial politics. How could the Empress and Crown Prince be his match?
At this thought, Qin Wan suddenly trembled—the Empress commanded the Northern Garrison Army!
Though the Northern Garrison was stationed thousands of li from the capital if the Empress and Crown Prince reached their territory…
Qin Wan dared not think further. If she did, what would become of the Marquis’s household?
“Don’t worry too much. With Grandmother and Great-aunt here, you’ll be safe. And there’s Seventh Brother too,” Yan Li comforted.
Qin Wan could only smile bitterly. The Emperor tolerated Yan Li and his mother, but now that the Empress and Crown Prince had left, the Emperor would know they had discovered the truth from years ago. The Emperor would surely eliminate them, and she and Yan Chi couldn’t reveal themselves either.
Realizing the capital was no place to stay, Qin Wan looked at Yan Li and could only smile bitterly. Yan Li probably didn’t know his father wasn’t dead, and all these years, watching Yan Li and his mother live in such hardship, what had the Emperor thought?
Qin Wan felt a chill creep up from her feet, cold sweat breaking out in her palms.
She had underestimated the Emperor’s terrifying nature.
“Are you alright? You don’t look well.”
Qin Wan shook her head, “It’s nothing. I’ll go see if the Empress Dowager is awake.”
She walked out to the main hall, where the Empress Dowager had just awakened. Chen Mama was about to call Qin Wan but saw her arrive on her own and immediately invited her in. Entering the inner chamber, Qin Wan felt the Empress Dowager had aged ten years overnight.
All vitality seemed drained from the Empress Dowager. Her graying hair was slightly disheveled, and she leaned against the bedhead like a withered tree.
Qin Wan couldn’t help feeling emotional, “Empress Dowager?”
Though Qin Wan lowered her voice, it still startled the Empress Dowager, who relaxed only upon seeing it was Qin Wan. “Child, you’re here.”
Qin Wan stepped forward to bow and check her pulse. The Empress Dowager silently extended her hand, her gaze falling desolately toward the window. “It’s snowing. Winter has truly come. Such heavy snow is rare in the capital. In the blink of an eye, another year has passed…”
The Empress Dowager’s tone was listless. Qin Wan finished checking her pulse and, though internally alarmed, maintained her composure. “Yes, it’s snowing, the first snow. In a few days, the plum blossoms in the Imperial Garden will bloom. Shall I accompany you to see them then?”
After checking the pulse, she pulled the brocade quilt higher, covering the Empress Dowager’s upper body completely.
The Empress Dowager smiled at this and suddenly asked, “Is your dowry prepared?”
Qin Wan nodded, “Yes, it’s ready. The gifts you bestowed were prepared within days of arrival. I went to look—they fill several storerooms, even more substantial than Eighth Sister’s dowry was. Everyone in the household says I’m blessed.”
The Empress Dowager smiled, “You are blessed. Kind-hearted people are always blessed.”
After Qin Wan chatted with the Empress Dowager for a while, Yan Li and Yan Sui arrived, so she rose to prepare medicine. Chen Mama followed her anxiously to the warm room to find paper and brushes, saying as they walked, “Princess, how is she? Last night the Empress Dowager coughed up blood…”
Qin Wan looked back to ensure no one was following before stopping to say, “The situation isn’t good. I need to prescribe some strong medicine. The prescription might make the Empress Dowager sweat and feel feverish, so prepare nourishing and cooling foods. You must ensure she doesn’t catch a cold and that she continues to eat and drink.”
Chen Mama understood, her eyes reddening. The Empress Dowager’s health was already poor, and after last night’s shock, it was naturally concerning.
After Qin Wan wrote the prescription, Chen Mama sent someone to brew the medicine. At this time, the Grand Princess and Yue Ning arrived, both having heard about last night’s events and coming specifically to check on things. Upon seeing the Empress Dowager, the Grand Princess’s eyes reddened. She sent the younger generation out while she stayed to talk with the Empress Dowager. Once outside, Yue Ning pulled Qin Wan aside and asked, “Did the Empress and Crown Prince disappear?”
Qin Wan nodded, “With such a commotion, it must be true.”
Yue Ning’s brow immediately furrowed. Looking around, she said softly, “This morning, His Majesty issued an order.”
Qin Wan looked at Yue Ning questioningly. Yue Ning whispered, “His Majesty sent a secret order to Jinzhou, commanding my father to lead the seventy thousand stationed troops northward.”
Qin Wan’s pupils trembled. Yue Ning’s expression grew particularly grave, “The Empress’s father commands the Northern Garrison Army, and General Zhao Junior has already joined the Northern Garrison. The Fifth Princess has married and should now be at the border between Great Zhou and Northern Wei. The Empress choosing this time to leave the palace indicates she’s heading north. This morning, His Majesty sent many secret orders, moving all northern stationed troops. Today, His Majesty will likely send someone north to strip General Zhao of his military authority.”
Having revealed what seemed to be her greatest secret, Yue Ning exhaled deeply, then continued gravely, “If General Zhao surrenders his authority, that’s one thing, but if he doesn’t, and even… even follows in Prince Gong’s footsteps, Great Zhou will descend into chaos. The hundred thousand Northern Garrison troops have been at the northern border for years, and General Zhao’s faction has many followers. They’re comparable to the Northwest Army. If he harbors rebellious thoughts, His Majesty will face great difficulty…”
With her martial background and father from a military family, Yue Ning was naturally sensitive to these matters. After speaking, she sighed, “You’re about to have your wedding, and this timing is terrible… The Empress’s ambition is too great. The court had just faced upheaval over deposing the Crown Prince without resolution, yet she made such a move. If the Northern Garrison truly rebels, the Marquis’s household will be in imminent danger. The crime of treason leads to the execution of nine generations of family.”
Qin Wan’s heart trembled. Not only did treason result in the execution of nine generations, but the Emperor would also eliminate anyone who knew that secret.
Qin Chaoyu had already taken that step—what about her?
Even though she lacked the power to oppose the Emperor, could she live her entire life harboring this secret in cowardice?
She couldn’t, and neither could Yan Chi. They weren’t people who would live in cowardice.
Looking at Yue Ning, Qin Wan suddenly realized that perhaps the day of their separation wasn’t far off.
Seeing Qin Wan’s hesitant expression and understanding her concerns, Chen Mama sighed, “Princess, don’t worry. As long as the Marquis’s household isn’t directly involved, they won’t be in immediate danger. However… it depends on the Empress and Crown Prince’s intentions.”
Indeed, it depended on their intentions. If they had merely left the palace, it might remain an unsolved case—no Great Zhou law forbade the Empress and Crown Prince from leaving the palace. At worst, it would be considered defying imperial orders. But if they planned something else, the consequences would be vastly different.
Prince Gong’s line was the best example.
This thought sent another chill through Qin Wan’s heart.
She thought of Yan Sui and quickly asked, “Where is the Ninth Prince?”
Chen Mama looked toward Yan Sui’s quarters, “The Ninth Prince is being very good today, staying in his room.”
Yan Sui was always well-behaved, regardless of circumstances. Qin Wan said, “Then I’ll go see him. Please call me when the Empress Dowager wakes.”
Chen Mama nodded, and Qin Wan went to find Yan Sui.