Madam Xiao’s imprisonment hardly caused a ripple. Neither Emperor Youning nor Prince Kang had time to concern themselves with her at present.
The rouge case implicated royal relatives and noble officials, with the main conspirators being Wei Tao, the consort of Princess Ruyang, the head of the Imperial Clan Court who was Emperor Youning’s cousin within five degrees of mourning, and Duke Xu’s household, one of the three great ducal families.
Emperor Youning’s heart pounded and his anger flared as he looked at the dense register of names.
The House of Beautiful Women these three had established had, over thirty years, gifted courtesans to capital nobility, frontier commanders, and local officials. Even as emperor, he hadn’t managed to establish such deep and widespread networks of informants.
Moreover, because of these courtesans, many local officials had become “in-laws.” He dared not imagine what kind of dark existence the common people in those regions endured.
The Imperial Censorate moved overnight, and Wei Tao and other core members of the House of Beautiful Women were imprisoned in an instant.
All royal clan members who committed crimes were held in the Imperial Clan Court, and Madam Xiao was no exception.
Late at night, Xiao Huayong secretly infiltrated the Imperial Clan Court. In the most heavily guarded cell was the current prime suspect Wei Tao. Nearly sixty years old, his hair showed no trace of gray, only his stern, darkened face bore the marks of time.
Even wearing only undergarments and manacles, he showed no sign of dishevelment. Watching the flickering lamplight on the table, he said: “Since you’ve come, why not show yourself?”
Xiao Huayong emerged from around the corner, standing outside the cell, one hand behind his back, fingertips turning a black piece.
Wei Tao’s steady gaze faltered upon seeing Xiao Huayong. He suddenly laughed, and as he laughed, he shook his head and sighed: “I’m getting old, my eyesight isn’t what it used to be. I never imagined the Crown Prince would be such a formidable hero.”
“Uncle, you should know why I’ve come,” Xiao Huayong’s expression was calm, showing no interest in small talk with Wei Tao.
Wei Tao stared at Xiao Huayong: “What can Your Highness offer me?”
“Aunt Ruyang’s life, and Wei Zhengye’s title,” Xiao Huayong replied.
Wei Tao grew agitated, jumping down from the stone bed and grabbing the cell bars: “How can you save her?”
After the case broke, he had tried his utmost to keep Ruyang clean of it, but Emperor Youning was fond of collective punishment.
“His Majesty has been secretly forging weapons, raising warhorses, and training private guards, depleting the treasury. If Aunt Ruyang could expose you all with the wealth you’ve accumulated over thirty years, claiming she knew nothing of your private dealings, His Majesty would surely pardon her, earning himself a reputation for mercy.”
The reason Emperor Youning and his mother had been able to seize power was due to Shen Yueshan’s military protection, the Gu family’s secret support among the noble houses, and Princess Ruyang, his illegitimate elder sister, coordinating from within.
There was already the precedent of the Gu family’s wrongful execution, and Shen Yueshan sending his daughter to the capital in a show of weakness. Rumors of Emperor Youning’s cold-heartedness and ingratitude were spreading. If he were to punish Princess Ruyang collectively now, the court officials would surely be horrified.
Without her consort, Princess Ruyang posed no threat, and she would replenish his treasury. Why wouldn’t he show magnanimity just this once?
“His Majesty…” Wei Tao listened with mounting terror. That Emperor Youning was secretly building an elite private army terrified him, and while no court official had caught wind of it, the Crown Prince knew it inside and out, which frightened him even more.
Wei Tao took a deep breath: “That wealth…”
He was about to say the wealth had been completely plundered when he suddenly realized something and sharply looked at Xiao Huayong.
Xiao Huayong’s expression was extremely calm, yet his too-handsome face carried the steadfast dignity of one who held heaven and earth in his grasp: “It’s in my hands.”
Wei Tao’s hands began to tremble involuntarily. That wealth had been plundered a year ago, which meant the Crown Prince had known everything about the rouge case a year ago. Perhaps this recent exposure happened because he had already laid his plans and allowed it to surface.
This was a net, and everyone was in it, moving step by step according to his will.
It took Wei Tao quite a while to still his trembling hands. He stepped back two paces and gave Xiao Huayong a deep bow.
Rising, he struck his jaw, causing a gold tooth to fall to the ground. He crushed it under his foot, revealing a tiny purple bead inside. He picked it up, cleaned it, and handed it to Xiao Huayong.
“Your Highness, take this to the deaf-mute old gatekeeper at the Beitian Ward in the southern city. He will give you the map of the palace’s secret passages.”
The palace had secret passages. The reason Emperor Youning and his brother’s forces had succeeded in their bloodless palace coup was thanks to these passages.
The ones who truly knew about the passages were Princess Ruyang and her husband, but Ruyang was clever. She let others discover one passage to claim credit. After Emperor Youning secured his throne and inquired about the passages, that one had been destroyed, and those who knew about it were silenced by the emperor.
Emperor Youning had never suspected Princess Ruyang and Xiao Huayong had only learned this secret by chance.
Seeing Xiao Huayong take the token for the passage map, Wei Tao gave a bitter laugh of resignation. They had thought they’d fooled everyone, not knowing this far-reaching Crown Prince had long seen through everything.
Having achieved his goal, Xiao Huayong turned to leave. Passing by the ordinary cells, he heard a faint sound and happened to see Madam Xiao collapsed on the ground, convulsing. Soon she began bleeding from seven orifices.
Glancing at the food box marked with the Kang Prince’s seal outside the cell, a gentle smile appeared on Xiao Huayong’s lips: “How… fierce indeed.”
Tianyuan had been waiting for Xiao Huayong in the Eastern Palace. Seeing the Crown Prince return, treading through the night, wrapped in moonlight, starlight in his eyes, he could sense His Highness’s pleasure from afar.
“Your Highness, did you succeed?” Tianyuan assumed Xiao Huayong had achieved his goal of obtaining the item from Consort Wei.
“Mm.” Xiao Huayong’s fingertips lightly turned the black piece.
“Your Highness, word came from the provinces – the Princess wants to see Hua Fuhai,” Tianyuan quickly reported the important matter.
Xiao Huayong’s gentle expression between his brows vanished: “Is she in trouble?”
Of Shen Xihe’s character, while Xiao Huayong couldn’t claim to understand ten parts of ten, he knew seven or eight. Given her cold and aloof nature, why would she actively contact someone she’d only met once unless she needed something?
Tianyuan hurriedly shook his head: “Your Highness, you ordered us not to trail the Princess.”
Regarding Yu Xiaodie’s matter, they had been watching Yu Xiaodie because of her connection to the rouge case, and they had guessed Shen Xihe would use Yu Xiaodie as a piece in her game. Not wanting to disrupt Shen Xihe’s plans, they had only paid slightly more attention than usual – normally their people didn’t dare monitor Shen Xihe.
Tianyuan didn’t understand why his master, though concerned about the Princess, wouldn’t keep a closer watch on her.
He vaguely remembered the last time he accidentally asked about it. His Highness hadn’t rebuked him for overstepping but had instead gazed at the pomegranate in the courtyard, which was gradually taking on a thin layer of pale yellow, and said: “She would surely dislike it.”
Xiao Huayong wrote a letter with his left hand and handed it to Tianyuan: “Have the merchant company’s people deliver it to her.”
Xiao Huayong was very curious about what matter could make Shen Xihe lower herself to seek him out, and he felt somewhat worried as well.