An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Just as Emperor Jianwen had once prevented the poisoned wine Emperor Gaozhu had bestowed upon the crown princess on his deathbed, Hu Shanwei prevented the poisoned wine Emperor Jianwen had intended for her and Empress Ma’s mother and three children.

The reasons were equally simple—with the great edifice collapsing and dynasties changing, no one would oppose the new ruler about to ascend, all willing to do convenient favors.

Hu Shanwei used the same method Emperor Jianwen had once used to force Lady Fan into silence, ignoring Emperor Gaozhu’s will, to persuade Emperor Jianwen’s trusted followers.

Someone who could kill his own mother would inevitably turn the executioner’s blade on others. Hu Shanwei had long realized this point. When Prince Yan’s army was at the city gates, she successfully bought off the trusted eunuchs around Emperor Jianwen, learning of the emperor’s plan to have the entire family die for the country while taking her—the witness who knew about the Mid-Autumn chrysanthemum terrace fratricide and matricide—along to silence her forever.

Survival is human instinct. Prince Yan would attack sooner or later. The eunuchs would either be executed or perform meritorious service to atone for their crimes and save their lives—there was no third option.

Under Hu Shanwei’s psychological manipulation, within a single day, she successfully controlled Emperor Jianwen’s confidants. Female and child corpses were moved in from mass graves in the suburbs. The Bureau of Court Rites was under Shen Qionglian’s control, and amid the chaos, the corpses were transported to Kunning Palace and doused with flammable liquor.

As for the real Empress Ma and her three children, Hu Shanwei had Haitang deliver a false imperial edict, taking them to the Xi’an Gate.

Emperor Jianwen, abandoned by all, killed Xu Zengshou and thought he was returning to the rear palace to die with his entire family, completely unaware he was walking into the web Hu Shanwei had woven.

Emperor Jianwen never asked whether his wife and children were willing to die with him—there was no need. His wife and children were his private property, just like that night at the Mid-Autumn chrysanthemum terrace when he didn’t need to inform Empress Ma of his arrangements in advance.

Empress Ma held her young son and led the crown prince, numbly awaiting fate’s arrangement, only to see black smoke rising from Kunning Palace’s direction.

She didn’t wait for her husband but waited for Hu Shanwei.

Hu Shanwei said: “His Majesty has already died for the country with the empress and children. From now on, there is no empress, no crown prince—only members of the Shen clan.”

Hu Shanwei handed the household registration documents to Empress Ma: “The ship has been arranged. You’ll cross the ocean together and start life anew.”

“And all of you…” Hu Shanwei distributed various household registration documents to the palace servants and eunuchs who had conspired in the substitution scheme, including her confidant Haitang:

“You know the secret of Jianwen’s widow and orphans. No one can predict future events—don’t have too high expectations of the new ruler. I’ve personally witnessed imperial power’s corruption of human nature. Emperor Jianwen was once a kind, innocent youth too. Once he became emperor, within three months he moved against Lady Fan who knew the shocking secret.”

“So, just in case, you should all leave together. The ship carries gold, silver, and precious jewels you could never spend in a lifetime. After twenty years, when everything settles, if you miss home and want to return to your roots, you can come back.”

Haitang said urgently: “If we all leave, what about Palace Supervisor Hu?”

Hu Shanwei patted her hand: “Silly girl, with all of you gone, who the four corpses in Kunning Palace are is up to me to say. Moreover, the new ruler doesn’t want living witnesses either. Even if harboring suspicions, he’ll accept this result. The fewer people who know this secret, the better.”

Having served as Empress Ma’s司言 for four years, just like Hu Shanwei and Empress Xiaoci in the past, Haitang had formed ruler-minister bonds with this gentle commoner empress. Hearing this, she resolved to cross the ocean with Empress Ma. Only by leaving the Ming dynasty would this group be safe, avoiding Lady Fan’s fate.

Empress Ma moved as if sleepwalking. Only when boarding the carriage and changing into commoner clothes did she wake as from a dream: “Palace Supervisor Hu…”

Great kindness needs no thanks. Not knowing what to say, Empress Ma was interrupted by Hu Shanwei: “You were the maiden I personally selected. When Miss Ma displayed her talents years ago, she composed a song ‘Reduced Magnolia Flower—Praising Spring’:

‘Liu Lang has aged. The peach blossoms still smile as before. Willows by the poolside. Wind blows, turning into the Buddhist hall.

The song ends, people scatter. More like tears on the Xunyang River. Ten thousand li east wind. Watching mountains and rivers in sunset red.'”

Mentioning past poetry, Empress Ma was stunned. The little poem she had composed to express new sorrows for poetry’s sake had become prophetic. The once-loving young couple in the Crown Prince’s palace—in just four years, the song had ended and people scattered. Looking at the black smoke rising from Kunning Palace, with fierce fire painting the horizon red, though it was morning, it looked like sunset’s glow.

Now knowing sorrow’s true taste, she couldn’t write a single character. Even encountering autumn’s bleakness, she could only say “what a fine cool autumn.”

Hu Shanwei also looked at the sunset glow in Kunning Palace’s direction: “Then His Majesty was still a crown prince full of longing for love and marriage, indirectly asking me about his future wife’s appearance. Because Emperor Gaozhu felt you resembled young Empress Xiaoci and you were from the Ma clan, you were internally designated as crown princess.”

“I mentioned your poem to the crown prince, telling him to treat you well, saying you had traveled thousands of li to the capital for selection, fighting through countless obstacles to reach him—this was destiny cultivated over several lifetimes. He was very happy, saying husband and wife are one body—shared glory and shared loss. Treating you well was treating himself well. He even swore an oath, saying if he broke it, he would willingly surrender rivers and mountains—”

Hu Shanwei sighed: “Your poem and his oath both became prophetic. This shows people truly shouldn’t make promises lightly. The Shen family will arrange for you in an overseas small country called Beidaniang. The Shen family has trading houses there. I hear it’s a trade hub for various countries, ruled by a queen with enlightened customs. Though lacking the wealth and glory of the Ming imperial family, there’s a broader sky there. You’re still young, the children are small—everything can start anew. You’ll surely live very, very well.”

Empress Ma’s emotions swung from despair to hope today. During the selection years ago, like the crown prince, she had beautiful expectations for the future, fully displaying her talents, earnestly learning palace rules. She obtained everything tens of thousands of maidens dreamed of, becoming a commoner empress. Only after obtaining it did she discover it was nothing special.

Empress Ma said: “Parting today feels like rebirth. I’ll treasure this chance at rebirth well. Palace Supervisor Hu, take care.”

Everyone changed into commoner clothes and fled the city amid the chaos.

At this time, the capital’s two hundred thousand defenders and the Nanjing Navy protecting the capital’s moat surrendered like falling dominoes, one pressing down another, falling one by one.

The first domino was Nanjing Navy Commander Chen Xuan—Chen Xuan was originally Mu Chun’s man. Mu Chun had long joined Prince Yan, and Chen Xuan had long used the navy to pass intelligence to Ji Gang. When Prince Yan arrived, Chen Xuan offered no resistance, directly leading the Nanjing Navy in surrender to welcome Prince Yan. The Yangtze River natural barrier and moat all became useless.

After Chen Xuan’s navy defected, Prince Gu Zhu Hong and Li Jinglong guarding Jinchuan Gate opened the gates in surrender. Prince Yan led the Yan army through Jinchuan Gate. Hearing this, the two hundred thousand defenders collapsed entirely, competing to open city gates in surrender. All thirteen of the capital’s gates opened wide, with only a small group of court loyalists still resisting desperately.

The capital’s people, officials large and small, including the Ming high officials who had just fled Fengtian Hall when Emperor Jianwen went mad with his sword, all knelt on both sides of the streets to welcome Prince Yan.

Kneeling at this moment would avoid future reckoning.

Prince Yan came to the Ming imperial palace. Hu Shanwei ordered palace servants to open gate after gate, kneeling to welcome Prince Yan.

Prince Yan rushed to Fengtian Hall with his second son Zhu Gaoxu. Inside was empty except for one corpse in bright red court robes lying face down.

Though the face couldn’t be seen, the right hand wore five rings set respectively with red, yellow, green, blue, and purple gems—flamboyantly ostentatious, like Thanos five hundred years later.

In all the capital, only Xu Zengshou dared dress like this for court.

Prince Yan froze in place. Zhu Gaoxu immediately knelt and wept over the corpse: “Second uncle! My uncle!”

During their years as hostages in the capital, it was second uncle who cared for these nephews, raising them like his own. Zhu Gaoxu had deep feelings for second uncle. Now with Xu Zengshou’s corpse already cold, Zhu Gaoxu wept while removing his own neck scarf to cover the horrifying wound on his uncle’s throat.

Prince Yan half-knelt, removing the colorful rings from his brother-in-law’s Thanos hand one by one, wrapping them in a handkerchief and handing them to Zhu Gaoxu: “Your eldest uncle Duke Weiguo is still desperately resisting. I’ve ordered he not be harmed, but he won’t stop either, charging alone through our army formations, determined to shed his last drop of blood dying for the country. Show him second uncle’s rings—he’ll stop.”

Before killing Xu Zengshou, Emperor Jianwen had premeditated it, not acting from momentary rage. He separated the two brothers, early arranging elder brother Xu Huizu to guard the city while keeping Xu Zengshou at the grand assembly, so when he moved against Xu Zengshou, no one could intervene.

Xu Huizu raised his younger brother like a son—if he had been in court, he wouldn’t have stood by idly.

Zhu Gaoxu refused to take the five rings, crying: “If eldest uncle is so foolishly loyal and wants to die, why doesn’t father fulfill his wish!”

Prince Yan slapped him: “Have you considered that with the Duke Weiguo brothers each choosing different sides, each loyal to their masters, the most pained person is your mother? You unfilial thing—second uncle died at Emperor Jianwen’s hands, your mother will surely grieve. If eldest uncle also dies at our father-son hands, wouldn’t your mother grieve even more?”

Prince Yan and Princess Yan had deep marital affection. For political reasons, Prince Yan’s palace had many concubines—Koreans, Jurchens, generals’ sisters—but all of Prince Yan’s palace children were born to Princess Yan, her position solid as rock. The Xu brothers’ drastically different choices put Princess Yan, the future Ming empress, in a difficult position.

Hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu finally understood his father’s true intention—not for his foolishly loyal eldest uncle, but fearing his mother’s heartbreak.

Helplessly, Zhu Gaoxu wiped his tears, took the colorful rings, and rode away.

Because Prince Yan ordered Duke Weiguo not be killed, Xu Huizu rode breaking through left and right. With Yan soldiers dying everywhere, they simply used road barriers to block intersections, wanting to trap this future state uncle who couldn’t be beaten or scolded in an alley. Xu Huizu was covered in countless wounds. With the weather so hot, he simply removed his armor and helmet, light cavalry charging. After a running start, his fine horse leaped up, actually jumping over layers of barriers and out of the alley.

The Yan army hadn’t expected Xu Huizu to be so brave. Everyone fled for their lives. Just as Xu Huizu was about to swing his blade, nephew Zhu Gaoxu rode up: “Eldest uncle! The dog emperor took advantage of your absence to kill second uncle, and you’re still here serving the dog emperor?”

Xu Huizu naturally didn’t believe: “Stand aside! Don’t try to deceive me.”

For his mother’s sake, Zhu Gaoxu wouldn’t directly conflict with his eldest uncle. Angrily throwing the handkerchief containing the five rings: “See for yourself. If you still don’t believe, go ask those ministers. They witnessed the dog emperor go mad and kill second uncle, then fled Fengtian Hall fearing retribution, kneeling on roadsides to welcome father.”

Xu Huizu’s trembling hands opened the handkerchief, seeing the bloodied colorful rings. His heart immediately turned to ash. With a clang, the long blade in his hand crashed onto the bluestone pavement. Yan soldiers swarmed up, tying Xu Huizu’s hands and feet with rope, fearing he might harm himself in grief.

Imperial palace. While Zhu Gaoxu took the rings to persuade eldest uncle to stop fighting, Prince Yan Zhu Di continued forward, taking control of the rear palace. Hu Shanwei led all palace servants silently standing on both sides of the road, welcoming Prince Yan, bowing in submission.

Prince Yan asked Hu Shanwei: “Where is Jianwen?”

Hu Shanwei pointed to Kunning Palace with flames reaching the sky: “Emperor Jianwen was determined to die for the state. He gave Empress Ma, the crown prince, and young son poisoned wine, then set fire to burn himself.”

Prince Yan quickly directed Yan soldiers to bring water and fight the fire. Finally four charred corpses of different sizes were carried out. Prince Yan began his performance, immediately weeping over the corpses: “My Jingnan campaign was only to eliminate treacherous ministers, nothing else. Foolish nephew, why did you do this!”

Prince Yan wept heart-rendingly, with genuine grief unmixed with pretense.

Hu Shanwei quietly watched Prince Yan’s performance. Now she finally understood why years ago when Prince Yan pretended to have a stroke, near death with crooked mouth and nose drooling, the people Emperor Jianwen sent believed Prince Yan was truly dying.

Prince Yan could control facial expressions at will, even minute details so realistic.

Hu Shanwei was convinced, yet she proposed resignation.

New emperor, new empress, new palace supervisor. She had completed her mission of avenging Lady Fan while participating in dynastic change. She knew and had done too much—she should leave the court quickly, the sooner the better.

Prince Yan readily agreed: “Palace Supervisor Hu, bon voyage. Perhaps we’ll meet again if fate allows.”

Hu Shanwei thought: better if we never meet again. Being palace supervisor really isn’t human work—it forced me to burn an emperor. After finishing this term, I quit.

For safety, Hu Shanwei even refused Ji Gang’s offer of escort, choosing protection from Chen Xuan’s navy instead… She had family and couldn’t bear becoming another Lady Fan.

Thus Hu Shanwei took Chen Xuan’s navy ship, followed by several escort gunboats, traveling day and night back to Kunming.

Arriving home travel-worn, the family dog still recognized her! Wagging its tail, it ran madly from the chrysanthemum fields. One person and one dog reached home to find it empty. Presumably with summer’s long days, husband and daughter were napping. Hu Shanwei went straight to the bedroom and indeed saw a five-year-old girl sleeping on the bed!

My A’Lei!

Hu Shanwei feared waking her daughter. She remembered her daughter had terrible morning grumpiness—if awakened, she would surely cry and throw tantrums.

Hu Shanwei removed her shoes, wearing only cloth socks as she approached. Through the thin mosquito netting, she greedily watched her sleeping daughter. With the hot weather, her daughter wore only a bright red belly band on top, bare back, and soft Songjiang cloth bright red loose pants below. Perhaps during a growth spurt, she had grown much thinner, especially the exposed spine where two shoulder blades rose high like butterfly wings.

Her legs were slender and long, delicate ankles like fresh-glazed porcelain that would break at a touch. Her skin was snow-white. Hu Shanwei almost held her breath, afraid her breath would melt the snow person before her.

My A’Lei has grown into a little beauty.

Hu Shanwei was secretly sighing, gazing at her daughter, reluctant to blink.

Then came the sound of running footsteps. Hu Shanwei frowned, about to go scold the person to be quiet and not wake her A’Lei, when a dark, chubby child ran in very fast, like a black whirlwind.

“Black Whirlwind” jumped directly onto the bed, loudly calling to the delicate child: “Brother Ji, little Brother Ji, I caught lots of shrimp, wake up and see!”

Two rabbits running side by side—how can you tell which is male or female?

Hu Shanwei’s mind buzzed: Brother Ji? The child on the bed was Prince Yan’s legitimate eldest grandson Zhu Zhanji? Then this “Black Whirlwind” was? Hu Shanwei had an ominous premonition.

“Black Whirlwind” wore identical red belly band and bright red loose pants, except the pant legs were rolled up to the thigh roots near the buttocks. Mud on both legs, just to catch shrimp.

Zhu Zhanji rubbed his eyes and sat up: “Sister A’Xiang, where are the shrimp?”

“Black Whirlwind” pointed to the door: “With my brother-in-law.”

Mu Chun entered carrying a basket of green shrimp, also covered in mud to his legs: “We keep our word—after playing, we wash and nap. Your sister will be back in a day or two. If she sees you—”

Mu Chun’s words stopped abruptly. He saw Hu Shanwei standing in the corner.

Hu Shanwei: Raising my daughter into a black whirlwind—is it too late to divorce my husband now?