Prince Lu was both in pain and frightened, hugging his head as he cowered in the corner, sobbing uncontrollably and unable to answer.
After Consort Guo Ning had beaten her son and vented her anger, she was still a mother at heart. Seeing her son’s pitiful state, she said to Nanny Guo: “Quickly summon Director Ru of Pharmacy to see how severely the elixirs have harmed Prince Lu’s body.”
Nanny Guo felt sorry for Prince Lu and hurried out to summon the doctor, but Hu Shanwei stopped her: “Wait, Consort Ning, you have something more important to do right now…”
Consort Guo Ning dragged the beaten, pig-headed Prince Lu to the inner study to find Emperor Hongwu.
Emperor Hongwu almost didn’t recognize the tenth prince, who was crying with snot and tears streaming down his bruised and swollen face: “What happened to Tan’er?”
Consort Guo Ning immediately removed her hairpin and knelt in guilty submission: “Your Majesty, this subject consort has failed to properly educate her son and has come to plead guilty.”
Hu Shanwei brought the elixirs, erotic paintings, and other items before the imperial throne.
Emperor Hongwu opened them for a look, and his beard bristled with rage. He grabbed the books and hurled them at Prince Lu’s head: “You scoundrel! How did such vulgar books get into the palace? If your brothers in the East and West Five Quarters saw these, wouldn’t they be led astray?”
It would be fine for married men to look at such things, but the East and West Five Quarters housed unmarried princes.
Prince Lu knew he was in serious trouble. Before coming, Hu Shanwei had taught him how to minimize his punishment. No matter how Emperor Hongwu struck him with the books, he endured the pain without dodging, only crying out in pain continuously.
Consort Guo Ning endured her heartache without intervening, weeping: “Your Majesty, compared to the pills, these lewd books are trivial matters.”
Emperor Hongwu looked at the vermillion pills, and unease surged in his heart: “At fourteen or fifteen, when kidney water is most abundant, how could he need these—”
“Ahem.” Hu Shanwei quickly interrupted Emperor Hongwu’s mistaken assumption: “Your Majesty, Director Ru just confirmed these are Five-Stone Powder, popular during the Wei-Jin period. After consumption, one feels ethereally intoxicated, but this substance is poisonous. Long-term use causes whole-body heat, blindness, and even death.”
Consort Guo Ning and Hu Shanwei sang in harmony, as she wept: “This subject consort failed in discipline, not knowing Tan’er had been consuming these for half a year.”
Emperor Hongwu was a father after all. With his son ill, he was both angry and anxious, quickly asking Prince Lu: “How much did you consume?”
Prince Lu cried: “Your son… your son can’t remember clearly. When I couldn’t memorize evening lessons or couldn’t write assignments, I’d take one pill. Immediately I’d feel clear-headed and refreshed, no longer drowsy. I could memorize things after two readings, and literary inspiration would flow like a spring.”
Emperor Hongwu angrily grabbed the box containing the elixirs and raised his hands to throw it, but stopped mid-air and roared: “Summon the imperial physicians! Call all the directors of the Imperial Medical Academy to Qianqing Palace!”
Prince Lu was carried to Qianqing Palace for consultation and treatment of pill poisoning.
Emperor Hongwu looked at the disheveled, tearful Consort Guo Ning and pointed at Hu Shanwei: “You explain—what exactly happened?”
Hu Shanwei delivered the prepared explanation smoothly.
Recently, when Prince Lu came to Zhongcui Palace to pay respects, Consort Guo Ning noticed her son often showed signs of fatigue. Worried about his health, she repeatedly inquired, but Prince Lu and his attendants all claimed his health was fine.
As a mother, Consort Guo Ning was naturally more observant. She discovered that after autumn arrived, when others wore lined clothing, Prince Lu still wore single-layer garments, claiming he wasn’t cold.
At that time, Consort Guo Ning didn’t know Five-Stone Powder was heating in nature. After consumption, the body would become feverish, requiring the dispersal of medicinal effects. This was why Wei-Jin literati were often disheveled or even left their hair unbound—to facilitate dispersing the medicinal effects.
Consort Guo Ning shared her suspicions with Hu Shanwei, who felt Prince Lu’s bedroom attendants were problematic. Despite Prince Lu’s obvious abnormal behavior, they all claimed nothing was wrong, suggesting deception of superiors and concealment from above. So while Prince Lu was practicing archery and horsemanship, she led people to search and indeed discovered problems.
After Hu Shanwei’s patient persuasion (intimidation), most attendants confessed. These erotic pictures and elixirs were all purchased outside the palace to please Prince Lu, then smuggled in when accompanying him in and out of the palace. Palace servants entering and leaving the court were always searched, and food and medicines were prohibited items that couldn’t be brought in, but royal family members like princes and princesses weren’t searched.
Hu Shanwei deliberately concealed Shen Qionglian’s warning as the source, fabricating half the story starting with Consort Guo Ning’s maternal intuition, while the latter half was entirely true.
Emperor Hongwu didn’t believe it: “Tan’er grew up in the palace, studying sage books in the morning and practicing martial arts in the afternoon. The tutors and archery instructors were all carefully selected by me, with impeccable moral character. How could he know about such things? It must be these vile people who enticed and corrupted him!”
Hu Shanwei said: “All related individuals have been handed over to the Palace Justice Department for interrogation.”
It was impossible for consorts or female officials to execute criminals in the palace. Once something became a suspicious case, it had to be handed to the Palace Justice Department, which alone had the authority to punish palace servants.
Hu Shanwei sighed inwardly: Indeed, even the Son of Heaven couldn’t escape common human nature. When children made mistakes, the first reaction was always that they’d been led astray by others. Fortunately, she had erased Shen Qionglian’s involvement, or she too would have been implicated.
Emperor Hongwu summoned Mao Qiang: “The Embroidered Uniform Guard and Palace Justice Department will jointly handle this case. The Palace Justice Department can only manage the harem, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard must investigate outside the palace to trace the source of Five-Stone Powder and completely eliminate this poison that harms the nation and people, preventing further harm to others.”
Mao Qiang accepted the order and had just reached the door when Emperor Hongwu called him back.
Emperor Hongwu said: “Prince Lu’s matter is probably just the tip of the iceberg. The East and West Five Quarters house the princes, far from their birth mothers, inevitably lacking strict supervision. The servants below only know how to flatter and please them, being obsequious to superiors while bullying subordinates. I’ve long wanted to properly manage this.”
“Choose no day better than today. You and Director Fan of the Palace Justice Department should thoroughly search the East and West Five Quarters. Those privately hoarding forbidden items should all be detained for interrogation. If manpower is insufficient, you may deploy troops from the Imperial Guards. Don’t let a single villain escape, or all my princes will be corrupted!”
Consort Guo Ning had only one son, but all princes in the East and West Five Quarters were Emperor Hongwu’s sons. Today this strict father would properly discipline his sons.
Mao Qiang and others continued the searches, but this time with Emperor Hongwu’s imperial decree, they had even more legitimate authority.
After everyone left, Emperor Hongwu looked at Consort Guo Ning kneeling with her hairpin removed in guilty submission, and suddenly remembered Empress Xiaoci. Previously, when princes made mistakes, even though it had nothing to do with the empress, she would always remove her hairpin in guilty submission, plead for the princes, blame herself for lax supervision, and ask Emperor Hongwu to give them another chance…
Consort Guo Ning’s face was yellowed from crying, without cosmetics, looking haggard and frail, vaguely resembling Empress Xiaoci’s character.
“Rise.” Emperor Hongwu felt somewhat moved, personally helping Consort Guo Ning up: “It’s not entirely your responsibility. Previously, Noble Consort Li managed the harem and failed to detect villains’ schemes that poisoned the princes. Since things have come to this, I only hope Tan’er’s poisoning isn’t severe.”
Consort Guo Ning wiped her tears: “There are those who commit crimes for a thousand years, but none who can guard against criminals for a thousand years. Sister Noble Consort Li devoted herself wholeheartedly to the harem and died of illness from overwork. I don’t blame her—I only blame treacherous villains who harbored vicious thoughts to climb to wealth and status, making them impossible to guard against.”
This was a strategy Hu Shanwei had given Consort Guo Ning—to handle crises according to Empress Xiaoci’s past behavioral patterns. First, never evade responsibility; take it upon herself without deflecting.
Second, have Consort Guo Ning escalate the matter to divert Emperor Hongwu’s anger and use his thunderous methods to quickly find the true culprit.
Additionally, the East and West Five Quarters housed underage princes. Regardless of whether Consort Guo Ning had conflicts of interest with their birth mothers, the children were innocent. If Prince Lu fell victim, there might also be ill-intentioned people around other princes. They were all at curious, rebellious ages—if they went astray, it would be harmful to family and state.
Hu Shanwei had advised Consort Guo Ning: “…If Your Highness wishes to achieve your desire of elevation, you must have the capacity to tolerate others, possessing an empress’s breadth of mind and foresight. Bear pressure from above, be benevolent and tolerant below. Your Highness must first act like an empress before His Majesty will consider elevation. Simply grasping harem authority is useless—His Majesty can give it to Your Highness but also to others.”
This was the awkwardness of concubines—no matter how high their status, they remained secondary wives. When a husband stripped his legitimate wife of household authority, he’d be criticized for confusion, but changing who managed household affairs among secondary wives was uncontroversial to outsiders.
To prevent Consort Guo Ning from becoming another incompetent case, Hu Shanwei administered strong medicine. Her words made Consort Guo Ning blush with shame. Indeed, Empress Xiaoci’s maternal family didn’t even have an earl, controlled no troops, yet her empress position was rock-solid.
She was a concubine—no matter how powerful her maternal family or how her elder brother commanded the Imperial Guards, she remained just a concubine.
Following Hu Shanwei’s advice, Consort Guo Ning indeed escaped disaster.
The Imperial Medical Academy’s consultation results came out: Prince Lu suffered pill poisoning, but it wasn’t severe. Currently, he showed no addiction. With careful treatment to expel the poison, he would definitely recover, but must never touch such substances again.
With Prince Lu’s life not in danger, both Emperor Hongwu and Consort Guo Ning secretly sighed in relief. Hu Shanwei winked at Consort Guo Ning, reminding her: to become empress, first act like an empress.
Consort Guo Ning quickly composed her relieved expression and asked the Imperial Medical Academy director with worry: “What about the other princes? Are there any suspicious symptoms?”
As an empress, all children in the palace would nominally be her children—she couldn’t show favoritism.
Indeed, hearing Consort Guo Ning’s concern for other princes, Emperor Hongwu’s expression improved considerably.
The academy director dared not speak definitively: “The other princes currently show no symptoms of pill poisoning.”
Soon, Director Fan led people bringing items confiscated from other princes—only some erotic pictures and novels, no Five-Stone Powder. However, when searching the attendants’ quarters, they discovered some stolen items and caught thieves red-handed. Now the Palace Justice Department’s prison was “fully occupied.”
It seemed only Prince Lu fell victim—none of the other four young princes secretly consumed elixirs.
Currently, the East and West Five Quarters housed fifteen-year-old eighth prince Prince Tan Zhu Zi, thirteen-year-old Prince Shu Zhu Chun, ten-year-old Prince Dai Zhu Gui, and eight-year-old Prince Su Zhu Su. Other princes, being too young, lived with their birth mothers in the Eastern and Western Six Palaces.
The erotic pictures belonged to the adolescent Prince Tan and Prince Shu. Prince Dai and Prince Su were too young—their bedrooms were completely clean.
Hu Shanwei again gave Consort Guo Ning meaningful looks: Of five princes, only Prince Lu consumed elixirs—quickly plead guilty!
Consort Guo Ning knelt again, removing her hairpin in guilty submission: “This subject consort is incompetent, failing to properly educate Tan’er.”
Emperor Hongwu’s mood changed like flipping pages. His recently improved feelings toward Consort Guo Ning instantly vanished: “You indeed should reflect deeply. Why didn’t other princes have problems? Don’t always blame subordinates for flattery. Flies don’t bite seamless eggs—Tan’er’s own impropriety gave others opportunities!”
The reversal came too quickly.
Guarding day and night, but unable to guard against one’s own troublesome child. Consort Guo Ning had almost succeeded in improving Emperor Hongwu’s impression of her, but unexpectedly failed at the last moment.
Consort Guo Ning returned to Zhongcui Palace dispirited. She was unwilling to accept this! So close, just so close!
In her fury, Consort Guo Ning grabbed a vase and smashed it on the ground to vent her anger. With a crash, vase fragments flew near Hu Shanwei’s shoes.
Nanny Guo hurried over: “Director Hu, our mistress is heartbroken—she didn’t mean to slight you. Director Hu made every correct move, but unfortunately our Prince Lu was too disappointing, dragging down our mistress.”
These days, following Hu Shanwei’s suggestions to learn Empress Xiaoci’s words and actions, Consort Guo Ning had nearly developed internal injuries from suppression. She hadn’t realized before learning—what a shock once she tried!
Previously, she thought Empress Xiaoci was a leisurely rich woman with the Six Bureaus and One Department managing the harem while she merely nodded and shook her head, universally revered, respected by the emperor, with a secure position.
Only when she put herself in Empress Xiaoci’s position did she realize how exhausting and mentally taxing being a good empress was. So mentally draining.
Consort Guo Ning grabbed another vase and smashed it wildly, venting her frustration.
Hu Shanwei said: “His Majesty didn’t immediately punish Your Highness, and harem authority remains in your hands—there’s still opportunity. Once Your Highness calms down, I’ll return to discuss with you.”
As Hu Shanwei was leaving, Consort Guo Ning called her back: “Don’t go! If you leave, my son and I will probably be despised by His Majesty forever.”
Hu Shanwei said: “Your Highness, I can help you strategize, but I cannot help you discipline Prince Lu. Your Highness must resolve to straighten this crooked sapling—this will require considerable real effort that others cannot substitute.”
Consort Guo Ning had been suppressed too long, and her former temperament began to resurface rebelliously. She refused to admit her failure in educating her son: “I’ve said everything I should say—what more can I do? My son has been clever and good since childhood. He must have been led astray.”
Hu Shanwei thought: If so, why was Prince Lu the only one among the East and West Five Quarters to consume Five-Stone Powder…
Suddenly, a flash of lightning struck her mind, instantly illuminating the scene, but it vanished immediately.
Hu Shanwei closed her eyes tightly, trying to capture that “lightning.”
The East and West Five Quarters housed five princes total: Prince Lu Zhu Tan, son of Consort Guo Ning. Prince Tan Zhu Zi, second son of Consort Da Ding. Prince Shu Zhu Chun and Prince Dai Zhu Gui, both sons of Consort Guo Hui. Prince Su Zhu Su, son of the obscure Beauty Gao—his mother’s status was humble, and he was only eight, so could be ignored.
So the East and West Five Quarters could be said to belong to the sons of three consorts: Consort Guo Ning, Consort Da Ding, and Consort Guo Hui.
Consort Da Ding’s eldest son, Prince Qi Zhu Bo, was enfeoffed to Qingzhou, Shandong in the fifteenth year of Hongwu—immediately after Empress Xiaoci encountered the Silkworm Mother’s assassination attempt at the imperial sericulture ceremony.
During the assassination, Silkworm Mother had declared: “Demon woman! Destroyer of great Han! Killer of the Han King! Usurper of the nation’s mother! Your crimes deserve death!”
Consort Da Ding was formerly the concubine of Chen Youliang, the chaotic warlord and Han King who had divided the southern territories with Emperor Hongwu during the tumultuous times. After Emperor Hongwu defeated Chen Youliang, he seized Lady Da into his palace, and she bore Prince Qi and Prince Tan.
Silkworm Mother ostensibly came for the Han King. This case later became an unsolved mystery. To avoid suspicion, Consort Da Ding that very year requested Emperor Hongwu to allow the seventeen-year-old Prince Qi to establish his fiefdom—note that previous princes averaged twenty years old when establishing fiefdoms.
Prince Shu Zhu Chun and Prince Dai Zhu Gui were both sons of Consort Guo Hui. Emperor Hongwu’s foundation of power came from the political legacy of Consort Guo Hui’s father, Guo Zixing. Later, Emperor Hongwu killed Consort Guo Hui’s only brother and made her his concubine. Note that Empress Xiaoci was Guo Zixing’s adopted daughter, and originally Consort Guo Hui’s status was far higher than Empress Xiaoci’s…
Wrong! I’ve been overlooking one possibility all along!
I’ve been self-righteously investigating suspects, once suspecting Consort Guo Ning, but actually couldn’t see the forest for the trees!
How foolish I’ve been! Empress Xiaoci said many times that harem matters mostly relate to court politics, but I’ve been limited to palace intrigue thinking, never stepping outside to make bold assumptions… The women in the harem don’t only seek the empress position and heir designation.
Perhaps I’ve misunderstood the mastermind’s motivation. That most impossible possibility might just be the truth!