The night breeze stirred gently. Outside the pavilion, lotus waves rolled, sending forth waves of lotus fragrance.

Moonlight shone through the gauze curtains onto the tourmaline beads that Empress Dowager Jiang lightly twisted between her fingers. The beads were lustrous and translucent, wrapped loosely around her wrist after two circles. Though her hands were well-maintained, the slack skin and increasingly prominent veins on the backs of her hands still silently proclaimed the fact that her youth had passed.

After the beads had been twisted for half a rotation, the old nanny approached from outside the pavilion, bowing respectfully and saying, “Your Majesty, everything has been arranged properly.”

Empress Dowager Jiang did not respond, merely closing her eyes and continuing to twist the tourmaline beads in her hand. The old nanny stood silently to one side.

After an unknown amount of time, Empress Dowager Jiang finally lifted her eyes to gaze at the melting moonlight outside the pavilion, saying, “Even in death, Consort Shu still left this widow such a great calamity.”

The old nanny responded, “Consort Shu and her son are already dead. Now it is His Highness who sits on the throne, and it is you who controls the entire Prince Chen’s Palace. Even though that mother and son struck back in their death throes and injured His Highness, leaving him with a chronic ailment, there are still remedial measures, are there not? Why should Your Majesty let two dead people trouble your mind?”

These words apparently struck a chord in Empress Dowager Jiang’s heart. She sighed, “They say misfortune rests upon fortune, and fortune conceals misfortune. Perhaps everything is predetermined by fate. Had His Highness not contracted that chronic ailment, he might not have been able to tolerate the Jiang family’s current glory.”

That Prince Chen could seize the throne was naturally due in large measure to relying on his maternal relatives, the Jiang family. But historically, after new rulers took power, they were unwilling to remain controlled by maternal relatives. Often, after cultivating their own trusted confidants at court, they would begin settling accounts with those maternal relatives.

The Jiang family faced the risk of having their entire clan confiscated if the succession struggle failed, yet they helped Prince Chen seeking wealth and honor—not a reckoning after the harvest.

Empress Dowager Jiang served as a moderating agent between them, but at that time Chen Kingdom faced internal troubles and external threats. Even with the Jiang family’s strong backing, Prince Chen’s chances of securing the throne remained uncertain. Out of necessity, Empress Dowager Jiang had also arranged a marriage alliance with Great Liang to borrow troops, pulling in an even more powerful ally for herself and her son.

The Jiang family had become estranged from Empress Dowager Jiang at that time. When the Jiang family helped Prince Chen in the succession struggle, their original plan was to send a Jiang family daughter into the palace as Empress. That way, the imperial prince born to the new Empress could continue relying on the Jiang family, just as Empress Dowager Jiang and Prince Chen when he was still Crown Prince had done, thereby ensuring the Jiang family’s honors and favors would flourish perpetually.

After Great Liang intervened, the Empress position no longer had any connection to the Jiang family. If the Jiang family wanted to send a daughter into the palace, the greatest honor she could hope for was being made a Noble Consort.

But without Great Liang’s assistance, if Prince Chen failed in the struggle for succession, the entire Jiang family would immediately be purged by Consort Shu’s faction. In the end, the Jiang family had to accept a mere consort position for their daughter while holding their noses.

Who could have known that on the night of the fierce succession battle, Consort Shu’s faction would strike back in their death throes, and Prince Chen would be slashed in the lower abdomen during the chaos, thereafter contracting a chronic ailment.

From then on, Prince Chen never recovered, and his temperament grew increasingly gloomy and strange. He allowed Prime Minister Jiang to take control of court affairs. Only those uninformed veteran ministers loyal to the royal faction, while lamenting that Prince Chen failed to meet expectations, still formed a balance of power against Prime Minister Jiang at court.

Empress Dowager Jiang and the Jiang family feared that the court ladies entering the palace through the selection process would sooner or later discover Prince Chen’s chronic ailment. When that happened, the veteran ministers loyal to the royal faction would inevitably establish a new ruler from among the clan’s sons. So they used Prince Chen’s engagement to Wen Yu as an excuse to postpone the selection.

To avoid arousing suspicion, they only kept in the palace the bed warmers who had served at Prince Chen’s side since he was Crown Prince. These people were of lowly status, some even born as slaves, and were extremely easy to control.

It was also at this time that Empress Dowager Jiang reached a consensus with the Jiang family: the throne could not fall into others’ hands, and Prince Chen had a chronic ailment, so why not let the Jiang family bloodline become the royal heir?

But Lady Liang had a noble status, and upon marrying came with the entire Great Liang as backing. Rather than having their Jiang family daughter enter the palace to birth an heir and compete with Lady Liang, having Lady Liang bear a child of Jiang family blood was the method that profited from all sides.

Among the younger generation of the Jiang family, Jiang Yu was the most outstanding in appearance and ability. Countless noble ladies in the capital secretly admired him.

If Jiang Yu could coax Lady Liang into losing her heart to him and carrying on a secret affair, they wouldn’t fear Lady Liang refusing to stand on the same boat with the Jiang family.

That Empress Dowager Jiang and the Jiang family had Jiang Yu escort the bride was precisely for this reason.

Only her nephew wouldn’t cooperate, and Lady Liang was formidable in her methods. Out of necessity, Empress Dowager Jiang had made tonight’s move.

The charge of “adultery” would be sufficient to become a handle she could use to control Lady Liang in the future. After the other party bore a child of Jiang family blood, even for the sake of herself and her child, she would no longer oppose the Jiang family.

After all, once Chen Kingdom helped her recover Great Liang, the one possessing both kingdoms’ territories would also be a descendant of the Wen clan bloodline.

The Empress Dowager halted her thoughts, glanced at the sky, then said, “It’s getting late. Let’s go to Jianning Palace.”

The distance from Moon Viewing Pavilion to Jianning Palace wasn’t far. Two palace maids walked ahead carrying lanterns. The Empress Dowager, her hand resting on the old nanny’s arm, walked unhurriedly through a moon gate, when she saw a Feathered Forest Guard near the rockery ahead who, upon seeing her, ran away with very suspicious behavior.

Thinking of the scheme she had set up at Jianning Palace, Empress Dowager Jiang’s expression darkened slightly as she ordered, “Call that Feathered Forest Guard back.”

The accompanying eunuch immediately called out loudly, “Stop! Seeing the Empress Dowager and not paying respects—where are you running?”

As he shouted, eunuchs were already running swiftly to chase that Feathered Forest Guard. The distant patrolling Feathered Forest Guards seemed also to have been alerted and were rushing this way.

Seeing he couldn’t escape, that Feathered Forest Guard also ceased his futile resistance and was soon brought before Empress Dowager Jiang.

Facing interrogation, he only clutched his stomach with a pained expression, begging for mercy: “Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, forgive me! It’s not that this lowly one ignored your procession—it’s just that this lowly one ate something bad this evening and was urgently seeking the privy. Fearing to offend the Empress Dowager’s eyes, I didn’t dare approach…”

Empress Dowager Jiang said not a word, leaving that Feathered Forest Guard kneeling by the roadside as she continued hastening toward Jianning Palace, only her footsteps had clearly quickened considerably.

The old nanny also understood the Empress Dowager’s concerns. Allowing the Empress Dowager to rest her hand on her forearm, she silently hurried to keep pace.

After rounding that area of rockery and false mountains, just as they were approaching Jianning Palace, the Feathered Forest Guard vice-commander leading a patrol suddenly appeared, blocking Empress Dowager Jiang’s path.

“This subordinate pays respects to Empress Dowager, Your Majesty.” The vice-commander clasped his fists respectfully toward Empress Dowager Jiang.

Looking at this person, Empress Dowager Jiang became increasingly certain of the suspicion in her heart. She didn’t know what Prince Chen intended to do at Jianning Palace, but she absolutely could not allow Prince Chen to sabotage her plans. When speaking with the vice-commander, her tone was cold and carried a hint of warning: “Tonight is the Mid-Autumn palace banquet. Security is tight throughout the palace, and the Feathered Forest Guards bear heavy responsibilities. Vice-Commander Yan is not at Taiji Palace standing by for orders—what are you doing here?”

The vice-commander said, “This subordinate happened to be leading men on patrol and passed through this area.”

Scrutiny filled Empress Dowager Jiang’s gaze as she looked at the vice-commander for a while before saying, “Vice-Commander Yan has duties to attend to. Continue your inspection then.”

Having said this, she was about to lead her people past the vice-commander’s group toward Jianning Palace, but the vice-commander showed not the slightest intention of yielding the way.

This action finally provoked Empress Dowager Jiang’s anger. The accompanying old nanny also said sternly, “How dare you! You even dare block the Empress Dowager’s path?”

The vice-commander, along with the Feathered Forest Guards behind him, knelt on one knee. Immediately the sound of armor clashing filled the air. The vice-commander said, “This subordinate and the others are also following orders. Please do not make things difficult for this subordinate, Empress Dowager, Your Majesty.”

Empress Dowager Jiang was angered to the extreme and directly laughed coldly: “Even when the Late King was alive and Consort Shu was most favored, the dogs she raised didn’t dare block this widow’s path. Vice-Commander Yan truly cuts an imposing figure!”

She deliberately emphasized that word “Vice.”

The vice-commander fearfully lowered his head even further: “Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, please calm your anger.”

Just at this moment, thick smoke suddenly billowed from within Jianning Palace, with flames faintly flickering. Empress Dowager Jiang’s anger turned to alarm as she shouted, “Fire! Quickly go fight the fire!”

Thinking it extremely likely that Prince Chen, in a fit of rage, had set fire to Jiang Yu and Wen Yu, Empress Dowager Jiang uncontrollably felt her limbs go weak.

One was her most beloved nephew, the other was the Liang Princess and Chen Kingdom Consort whose status related to whether the alliance between Chen Kingdom and Great Liang could continue.

If anything happened to these two people, the entire Chen Kingdom would have no peace.

The vice-commander turned back to see the firelight and was also frightened into a cold sweat. He dared directly confront Empress Dowager Jiang and even the entire Jiang family, pledging loyalty to Prince Chen, betting on that future of being below one person but above ten thousand.

After all, in current Chen Kingdom, from the court to the military, everything was controlled by the Jiang family. His father had disagreed politically with Prime Minister Jiang in earlier years, and since entering the court, he had always been suppressed by the Jiang family. To have any chance of advancement, he must break free from the Jiang family’s control.

The veteran ministers loyal to the royal faction had painstakingly managed to place him in the position of Feathered Forest Guard vice-commander. He had in one leap become one of the close imperial ministers the old ministers had placed beside Prince Chen. Having finally earned Prince Chen’s trust, learned the truth of Prince Chen’s disgrace, and been regarded by Prince Chen as his only confidant, he naturally wanted to use this opportunity to continue climbing higher.

If he truthfully informed the old ministers and let them establish a new ruler, he might not necessarily retain his current position.

So tonight, after learning of Empress Dowager Jiang’s movements through informants planted among the Feathered Forest Guards, he had promptly informed Prince Chen.

Prince Chen also feared that after Lady Liang bore a child of Jiang family blood, Empress Dowager Jiang and the Jiang family would completely abandon him and instead support a new ruler to ascend. The old ministers loyal to him had long been deeply disappointed in him. If there were a new ruler, they would naturally be willing to place their hopes in the new ruler.

When that time truly came, if Prince Chen “suddenly died,” probably not a single minister in the entire court would question it.

To avoid walking toward that dead end, Prince Chen had always been secretly plotting to sabotage Empress Dowager Jiang and the Jiang family’s plans.

Lady Liang was Prince Chen’s greatest trump card for self-preservation. As long as the child Lady Liang bore was not the Jiang family’s, then Lady Liang and the Jiang family would remain perpetually opposed.

Empress Dowager Jiang wanted to use the charge of Lady Liang’s adultery to control Lady Liang. Prince Chen wanted the same thing.

After his Feathered Forest Guard sent to keep watch discovered the Empress Dowager approaching, he deliberately made noise to report it. He had also promptly sent people to urge Prince Chen, while he himself led men to rush here and block the Empress Dowager. Why had Jianning Palace suddenly caught fire?

The vice-commander awkwardly swallowed, fearing like the Empress Dowager that Prince Chen had lost his mind and set the fire. He immediately could not care about anything else and hurriedly rushed with the Feathered Forest Guards to rescue people.

Supported by the old nanny, Empress Dowager Jiang anxiously wanted to go see the situation inside Jianning Palace but was dissuaded by the old nanny concerned for her safety.

Grief welled up in Empress Dowager Jiang’s heart as she wept: “My Yu’er…”

Her words had barely fallen when clamorous sounds came from behind. Looking back, she saw that the ministers from Taiji Palace had all rushed over.

Empress Dowager Jiang’s eyelids twitched violently as she asked the ministers, “What brings you all here, beloved ministers?”

Several military officers leading the charge had already seized water buckets from the fire-fighting palace servants’ hands, pouring the water over their own heads from above, saying, “Hearing that Jianning Palace caught fire and His Highness was trapped inside, we officers have come especially to rescue the sovereign. Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, need not worry—this officer will certainly rescue His Highness!”

Having spoken, the several officers rushed into the smoke-billowing Jianning Palace as if competing for glory. Empress Dowager Jiang’s heart also began pounding wildly, fearing the “adultery” would be exposed. She wanted to call out to stop them but it was already too late.

The old ministers, their hair already half white, stood at the outer perimeter, blocked by eunuchs and Feathered Forest Guards, crying and shouting “Your Highness” until their voices grew hoarse.

Empress Dowager Jiang exchanged a glance with Prime Minister Jiang, who had come along with the ministers. From each other’s eyes, they both saw a certain desperate resolve to cut off their tails to save themselves.

Though her limbs still felt weak, in that instant Empress Dowager Jiang was already thinking about how to pin all this dirty water entirely on Wen Yu, thereby minimizing their Chen Kingdom’s losses as much as possible.

If Jiang Yu died in this blaze, when the coroner examined the body, they need only insist it wasn’t Jiang Yu and find some scapegoat to substitute—that would suffice.

If he was still alive, they could fake his death to extricate him. That would also count as atoning for his offense through death, not bringing disaster upon the Jiang family.

As for Wen Yu… She had committed adultery with a minister and carelessly knocked over a candle causing the great fire. Whether she could survive or not, the fault lay with her. Even if Great Liang harbored suspicions, with both witnesses and physical evidence present, they couldn’t speak of seeking justice.

Even if this alliance fell apart, as long as the stain was on Wen Yu, they, Great Liang, would be the party at fault. The Liang ministers might even descend into chaos and disarray from this point on.

Before such enormous interests, there would always be Liang ministers who, for the sake of their futures, would continue cooperating with them—the process would just become more troublesome.

In the growing firelight, Empress Dowager Jiang calculated with near numbness everything she would have to face next, telling herself it was still acceptable—everything could still be resolved.

Soon people rushed out from Jianning Palace.

But whether the officers who went to rescue people or the Feathered Forest Guards, all had exceptionally strange expressions.

The old ministers blocked at the outer perimeter appeared especially agitated. Upon seeing Prince Chen being carried out wrapped in bedding, they all cried out to heaven and earth, crowding forward calling “Your Highness.”

With so many people, all of them indispensable pillar ministers who couldn’t be jostled, the Feathered Forest Guards and officers dared not obstruct them. In the pushing and shoving, a corner of the thin blanket wrapped around Prince Chen fell away. The old ministers who clearly saw the marks on Prince Chen’s body all froze as if turned to stone.

Beneath that thin blanket still faintly emanated a bloody smell mixed with a latrine’s foul odor, vaguely revealing something.

Prince Chen’s face was pale as paper, his gaze vacant. Even brought before people, he showed no reaction.

It was the vice-commander who had carried Prince Chen out all the way who was quick-eyed and deft-handed, hurrying to pull the thin blanket back to wrap around Prince Chen, though his own complexion had also turned deathly pale and defeated as he said, “Summon the imperial physicians.”

Standing outside the crowd, Empress Dowager Jiang first anxiously looked toward Jiang Yu, who had also been carried out. Seeing that though Jiang Yu’s armor was removed, his inner garments were intact and he wasn’t burned, with only a few footprints on his face, she felt vaguely strange.

Turning to see Prince Chen being carried out, followed by a scabby-headed man dragged out shirtless like livestock, crying with snot and tears flowing, shouting that he knew nothing and begging to be spared, Empress Dowager Jiang’s temples throbbed violently as she demanded, “Where is the Consort? Didn’t the Consort come to change clothes?”

“Is Mother seeking this son?” A voice even more cold and indifferent than the night wind came from outside the crowd.

Palace servants and ministers alike parted to make way based on where the voice originated. Wen Yu still wore the same magnificent dress from the palace banquet, the flower ornament at her brow’s center unchanged. Under the moonlight, she appeared like a blooming golden lotus—splendid and majestic.