At that time, Liu Chang was still with many others when Qiushi burst in, agitated. He whispered urgently to Liu Chang, whose face immediately changed. Liu Chang hastily excused himself from his superiors and left in a hurry. Both master and servant tried to conceal their distress, but the others were perceptive. Well-versed in the couple’s history, they instinctively connected the two events. They assumed Liu had encountered another issue with his wife. Never underestimate men’s curiosity about their colleagues’ domestic affairs, such as concubine rivalries or domineering wives asserting themselves. Thus, some began discreetly inquiring about the situation.
Their investigation revealed the shocking news that made everyone break out in a cold sweat. Princess Qinghua’s actions were truly appalling. A pair of beautiful sisters had their ears and noses brutally cut off, their hair shorn, and their legs broken. If Qinghua’s previous behavior was merely problematic, this act marked her as truly evil. It served as powerful evidence that marrying into the imperial family was indeed risky.
Although Liu Chang had mentally prepared himself, he never imagined Princess Qinghua could be so cruel. One glance at the unconscious, blood-covered sisters on the ground was enough to make him vomit.
Princess Qinghua sat calmly on her high seat. Seeing Liu Chang enter, she nonchalantly ordered someone to splash cold water on the sisters to wake them. Confused and in agony, the sisters caught sight of Liu Chang. They painfully dragged their broken legs towards him, begging for help. Their once melodious voices, previously as sweet as orioles, now uttered each word with blood and tears. Their beautiful faces, now reminiscent of hell’s demons, were beyond simple description as “tragic.”
For a moment, Liu Chang desperately wanted to flee, but he steeled himself. Without confronting Princess Qinghua, he ordered the sisters to be carried to the infirmary at Fashou Temple, arranging for expensive treatment and care.
Princess Qinghua’s attack met no resistance, leaving her furious and unsatisfied. She wanted to pursue and finish off the sisters, but while she might have dared to cause trouble at a private residence, she knew better than to disturb the infirmary.
As a result of this incident, for some time afterward, no one dared to flatter Liu Chang when he went out. All women treated him like a dangerous beast, keeping more than ten feet away. If a hostess ordered someone to serve Liu Chang, they would beg and plead, preferring death to the task. Everyone feared incurring Princess Qinghua’s wrath, believing that compared to the sisters’ fate, death would be merciful. News of this incident spread widely, from commoners to nobility in the capital. No one was unaware, and new details emerged, claiming the sisters had been carrying Liu’s heirs when the “evil woman” Qinghua violently terminated their pregnancies. The Wang of Wei’s household remained silent, while Liu’s father showed no backbone, swallowing this bitter pill.
In the following days, when Liu Chengcai attended court, his colleagues’ gazes were strange, and they whispered behind his back. They recalled how Liu Chengcai had once feared his wife so much that he drank children’s urine, and now Liu Chang similarly feared his wife – truly like father, like son. Some who disliked Liu Chengcai made veiled inquiries, which Liu Chengcai naturally denied. But the more he denied it, the more people laughed. Even thick-skinned Liu Chengcai had to feign illness to avoid court.
Around the same time, several imperial clan girls of marriageable age were to be matched with sons of high-ranking officials. However, the men’s families refused, citing various illnesses or strange reasons. They preferred to delay marriage rather than wed an imperial princess. This matter, affecting imperial dignity, reached the palace. The Empress summoned the Wang of Wei’s wife and severely reprimanded her. She emphasized that Liu Chengcai, as one of the Six Ministers, was a pillar of the state and should not suffer such mistreatment. If this behavior didn’t stop, and word reached the Emperor’s ears, there would be serious consequences.
It’s worth noting that the Wang of Wei’s household had long been close to Min Wang’s faction, which the Empress had disapproved of for some time. She had been waiting for an opportunity to act, and now used Qinghua’s incident as a pretext. Next time, it might be the Emperor himself scolding them. Despite their tendency to protect their own, the Wang of Wei’s household had to address the situation under these circumstances. They sent the Crown Princess to apologize to Madam Qi, severely reprimanded Princess Qinghua, and clarified their stance.
However, Princess Qinghua harbored resentment towards her natal family. She felt wronged, believing they didn’t empathize with her or consider her feelings. Otherwise, how could Liu Chang dare to treat her this way? If the Wang of Wei or her elder brother had intimidated Liu Chang, he wouldn’t have been so bold.
Thus, when the Crown Princess arrived, Qinghua initially hoped to confide in her. But the Crown Princess wasn’t her birth mother, merely a sister-in-law, and was exasperated by Qinghua’s frequent troublemaking. Hearing Qinghua blame the family instead, she became furious. She could only advise Qinghua to observe wifely duties and respect her husband and in-laws.
Despite the abundance of well-intentioned advice, Qinghua was convinced she wasn’t the only jealous person in the court. She believed the lives of servants were incomparable to hers – not only disfiguring them but even killing them would have no consequences. She retorted, “I can barely survive, so why discuss these empty principles? Can they feed me? You all live comfortably, but how often do you visit or inquire about me throughout the year? Since you can’t help or care for me, I must fend for myself. What’s wrong with that?” The Crown Princess angrily vowed never to interfere in Qinghua’s affairs again and stormed off.
Qinghua ignored her, sitting silently in gloom for a while before deciding on her second revenge plan. She had consulted a doctor who advised that these days were optimal for conception. She needed to act, realizing that no one was reliable except her child. So she prepared herself, ordered a sedan chair, and set out to seek entertainment and clear her mind.
Meanwhile, the Wang of Wei’s household didn’t merely reprimand Princess Qinghua. To truly resolve the issue, while the Crown Princess was apologizing to Madam Qi and criticizing Qinghua, the Second Prince of Wei personally invited Liu Chang for drinks and a heart-to-heart talk. Since distancing himself from the Wang of Wei’s household years ago, Liu Chang’s relationship with them had been neither close nor distant, though he still paid substantial annual respects. Thus, the two men maintained some familiarity when they met. Liu Chang lamented, “I’m at my wit’s end. Earlier, Qi’er died…”
The Second Prince of Wei was well aware of Qi’er’s death but didn’t find it unusual. However, hearing Liu Chang speak of it so directly made him somewhat uncomfortable. He feigned a sigh, “That child was ill-fated…”
“Kill with hatred, irreconcilable.” Liu Chang harbored deep resentment but outwardly sighed, “She’s been married to me for two years without bearing a son or daughter. She constantly brings up the former He family and frequently gets angry, forbidding me from entering. I thought if we could have a son, raised under her name, it would be the same. But she couldn’t tolerate even that. She behaves recklessly every day, and several of her maids have already died from sudden illnesses. Continuing like this goes against natural order.” He hinted vaguely that Qinghua had some unsavory bedroom habits and poor health, possibly due to that horse-riding accident.
Everyone knew what “reckless behavior” implied. The Second Prince of Wei was all too familiar with his sister’s misdeeds, his face flushing purple with embarrassment. He changed the subject, advising, “In a marriage, one person must yield. I know her temperament best. If you’re willing to compromise, she’ll soften in no time.”
Liu Chang verbally agreed, then said, “I’ve heard there’s a small tavern in Changxing Ward that brews excellent barley wine and serves delicious mutton. I’d like to clear my head. Would you care to join me?”
Seeing that Liu Chang still harbored resentment, the Second Prince felt obliged to accompany him. As they approached the tavern in Changxing Ward, before they could be seated, they encountered a servant-dressed attendant buying barley wine and mutton.
Liu Chang was surprised to see the attendant and exclaimed, “What are you doing here?”
The attendant, equally surprised, bowed respectfully and replied, “My master moved here last month. Due to household matters, we haven’t had the chance to inform you.”
Liu Chang brightened up and enthusiastically told the Second Prince, “This is an old friend of mine who left for a distant journey some years ago. He’s a man of many talents, truly exceptional. Since we’ve run into each other, why don’t we go for a drink with him?”
The Second Prince hesitated, which displeased Liu Chang, who accused him of insincerity. Realizing that placating Liu Chang was crucial, the Second Prince reluctantly agreed to follow.
As they approached Liu Chang’s friend’s residence, before they could greet the host, a neighbor peeked out curiously. Seeing the group, the neighbor hastily retreated, nearly getting their head caught in the process. Before the Second Prince could react, Qiushi let out a shout and, with several others, rushed to grab the neighbor’s collar. “So it’s you! Your master owes our lord money and ran away like this? Where do you think you’re escaping to?”
The person turned ashen, and tried to cry out, but was quickly gagged and subdued by Qiushi and his men. When Liu Chang’s friend came out to inquire, Liu Chang calmly smiled, “This person’s master owes me a considerable sum. We’ve been searching for him for a long time, not knowing he was hiding here. The money is a small matter, but I can’t swallow this insult.” Then he said to Qiushi, “Forget it. We’re outnumbered, and who knows what kind of people are inside or what they’re hiding. We might be at a disadvantage. Perhaps we should…”
Before he could finish, his friend volunteered, “I’ll help! I know this place well. It’s just a wealthy household, nothing serious.” He summoned about ten servants.
Hearing this, the Second Prince also volunteered, “I’ve brought men too. Use them as you see fit. Let’s settle this score for you.” He expertly instructed his men to surround the doors and low walls.
Liu Chang smiled slightly and bowed politely, “Thank you both for your assistance.” With that, the group stormed into the residence with a menacing air.