The incident happened so suddenly that Hu Shanwei’s mind went completely blank. At the moment the carriage overturned, Jiang Quan held her tightly in her arms, curling her body to protect Shanwei’s head with her chest.
With Jiang Quan and Ji Gang flanking Hu Shanwei on either side, she suffered the lightest injuries, only her ears were ringing as if ten thousand summer cicadas were frantically chirping directly into her ears.
Looking at the unconscious Ji Gang beside her and the dazed Jiang Quan, Hu Shanwei wondered: Who were these assassins? Why did they want to kill us? What should we do now?
Ji Gang had a small dagger at his waist. Instinctively, Hu Shanwei drew out the dagger and hid it in her bosom.
Clang!
Someone kicked open the carriage door that had already half-fallen off.
The carriage compartment was narrow and could only fit one person. The man entered carrying a knife, with a bow, crossbow, and quiver on his back.
Knowing her own physical weakness couldn’t match this robust man, Hu Shanwei slightly closed her eyes and pretended to be unconscious.
Through the tiny gaps beneath her eyelids, Hu Shanwei saw the man half-crouch to test Ji Gang’s breathing, then pulled open his eyelids to check his pupils, saying to someone outside, “The guard is unconscious, not dead yet.”
The person outside asked, “What about that woman?”
The man tested Jiang Quan’s breathing. “Not dead, just knocked unconscious.”
The person outside said, “Kill her.”
The man asked, “What about the other two?”
The person outside said impatiently, “What are you dawdling for? Since we’ve already killed the Embroidered Uniform Guards, we can’t leave any witnesses alive! Kill them all – and chop off that woman’s head while it’s fresh to exchange with our employer for the other half of the reward.”
Pretending to be unconscious, Hu Shanwei thought: Why kill Jiang Quan? And why specifically cut off her head? Who is the employer?
Jiang Quan was at the innermost part beneath the seat, her body against the wall, like a soft shell protecting Hu Shanwei. Since the man’s target was Jiang Quan, he found Shanwei in the way, so he first dragged her out and threw her aside, then bent down to drag out Jiang Quan.
When Jiang Quan was dragged out, she was gradually regaining consciousness, but facing the man’s butcher knife, her limbs were numb from the impact and she had no strength to resist, with two lines of bloody tears flowing from her eyes.
To the man, Jiang Quan was like a chest of gold, especially her head.
The man said, “Taking people’s money means eliminating disasters for them. When you become a ghost, go find the person who hired us.”
After speaking, the man raised his knife and slashed toward Jiang Quan’s neck!
Jiang Quan desperately closed her eyes, but the blade didn’t fall. She felt a few drops of warm liquid on her face. Opening her eyes, she saw the man’s neck spurting blood, with Hu Shanwei standing behind him, holding a sharp, blood-stained dagger in her right hand.
Clang – the long knife fell to the ground. The man tried to use both hands to stop the gushing blood from his neck.
The lookout outside heard the commotion and rushed over.
Hu Shanwei took the crossbow from the man’s back, triggered the mechanism, and wildly shot arrows toward the door. A crossbow only held five arrows, and she emptied them almost instantly.
This was something her hundred-household fianc̩ had taught her Рoriginally just for taking her on spring outings and hunting, she never expected it would prove useful now.
Hu Shanwei heard screams outside and thought she must have hit someone, so she continued loading arrows into the magazine. But she was too nervous, her hands shaking, and couldn’t load them properly.
At this moment, the sound of hoofbeats and clashing weapons rang out outside. Jiang Quan came to her senses and pushed Hu Shanwei deeper into the carriage. “Stay right here, don’t move – they want to kill me, I’ll go out and draw them away.”
Hu Shanwei: “You—”
Jiang Quan covered her mouth and stuffed her own handkerchief into Shanwei’s bosom. “If I die, give this handkerchief to Noble Consort Hu. She won’t make things difficult for you anymore.”
After speaking, Jiang Quan rushed out. Outside stood a luxurious carriage, with two groups of people fighting. All nine Embroidered Uniform Guards had been shot down, their fate unknown.
Mu Chun had appeared from somewhere and was fighting the bandits along with five sturdy servants.
It was Mu Chun with the Xu family’s coachman and bodyguards.
Mu Chun had thought Ji Gang was “stealing” Hu Shanwei from the palace, so he boarded Xu Zengshou’s carriage to follow Ji Gang from a distance. Later, seeing Hu Shanwei and Jiang Quan together, going in and out of bookshops buying books, he realized it wasn’t Ji Gang’s scheme but just palace business.
Female officials leaving the palace were protected by Embroidered Uniform Guards.
In the carriage, Xu Zengshou, deceived by the fake IOU, ordered Mu Chun out. “Go hire your own carriage, I still want to go see a play.”
Mu Chun said, “Don’t rush. When that carriage stops at a bookshop, I’ll get out.”
Mu Chun planned to board Hu Shanwei and Jiang Quan’s carriage to find an opportunity to test Sister Shanwei’s feelings about her fiancé and whether she could accept the cruel reality… After three years, maybe Sister Shanwei had become indifferent to the past – the less she cared, the less it would hurt.
Xu Zengshou had no choice but to escort him a bit further.
This escort cost several lives. Just reaching the alley entrance, the coachman saw an “arrow rain” falling from the large trees ahead, attacking the Embroidered Uniform Guard carriages.
The carriages overturned, and the shock when they fell was felt even by Mu Chun and Xu Zengshou inside their carriage. Mu Chun peered out the window and saw bandits jumping down from trees, finishing off the fallen Embroidered Uniform Guards with supplementary strikes, eliminating all survivors. One had already kicked open the door of the overturned carriage.
Mu Chun shouted, “Go save them!”
The coachman didn’t move, looking at Xu Zengshou – he was the real young master.
Usually unruly beyond measure, Xu Zengshou trembled with fear at the bloody scene, but he still said, “What are you standing around for? If we don’t save them, my reputation will be ruined.”
As if his current reputation for patronizing opera troupes, buying antiques, and gambling was particularly good.
The coachman nodded. “Yes, please move the boxes under the seats out.”
Xu Zengshou and Mu Chun pushed out two large boxes. Opening them, one contained armor, the other held loaded crossbows and some firearms.
After speaking, the coachman fired three successive flares into the sky and blew a bamboo whistle. Four mounted guards also put on armor, even putting armor on their horses. They were obviously well-trained and always ready to protect their young master.
Both from wealthy families, both wastrels, yet Mu Chun squatted on the street eating noodles while Xu Zengshou was carefully protected. In that instant, Mu Chun deeply envied Xu Zengshou.
Mu Chun counted about twenty-some bandits ahead, so he pushed Xu Zengshou out of the carriage. “Go quickly, call the North City Military Commissioners to help.”
Actually, this was just an excuse to get Xu Zengshou out of the way. If they couldn’t defeat the bandits – Mu Chun looked at the murderous coachman and four bodyguards, thinking that Duke Weiguo Xu Da’s chosen guards for his precious son should have amazing combat ability and wouldn’t lose.
Xu Zengshou ran to call for help while Mu Chun, the coachman, and bodyguards drove and rode to rescue people, first shooting arrows to suppress the bandits, then drawing swords for close combat.
Duke Weiguo’s bodyguards and coachman were indeed formidable, holding their own even against three opponents each.
Mu Chun hid behind the carriage shooting cold arrows and finishing enemies, so despite their small numbers, both sides were temporarily evenly matched.
At this moment, Jiang Quan crawled out from the overturned carriage, climbed onto horseback, and shouted loudly, “Come on, if you have the ability, come kill me! Only by killing me can you get the reward money!”
After speaking, Jiang Quan spurred her horse and galloped wildly.
The bandits indeed stopped fighting and all went after Jiang Quan.
One of them reacted fastest, pulling out a throwing knife from his waist and hurling it toward Jiang Quan.
Mu Chun, hiding behind the carriage, drew his bow and shot an arrow, hitting the man’s shoulder. The throwing knife went off course and embedded itself in a large tree beside the road.
The remaining bandits all mounted horses to pursue and kill Jiang Quan. Various throwing knives, iron caltrops, and other hidden weapons were hurled in Jiang Quan’s direction.
The Xu family bodyguards pulled out starfish-like five-pointed ceramic explosives, lit the fuses, and swinging their arms, accurately threw the explosives at the bandits.
A series of thunderous explosions rang out. The smoke from the explosives instantly turned the narrow alley into a “thick fog” street where one couldn’t see their hand in front of their face, concealing Jiang Quan’s figure and causing the bandits to lose their target.
The bodyguards and coachman spurred their horses forward to continue fighting the bandits – they were all battle-hardened experts, even more agile on horseback.
At this time, Hu Shanwei crawled out from the carriage compartment, her eyes vacant, trembling all over. Ji Gang followed, swaying like a drunk man, hugging a tree and vomiting violently. He wasn’t seriously hurt, just had a concussion from hitting his head, with his stomach churning terribly.
Seeing both covered in blood, Mu Chun quickly jumped down from the carriage and patted her shoulder. “Sister Shanwei?”
Hu Shanwei’s body stiffened. Terrified and not hearing clearly who had come, she instinctively turned and stabbed with the dagger. Fortunately, Mu Chun reacted quickly and grabbed her hand. “It’s me, Mu Chun.”
Only then did Hu Shanwei become clear-headed. The dagger clattered to the ground as she tightly gripped Mu Chun’s hand. “I’m fine, go save Sister Jiang quickly! They want to chop off Sister Jiang’s head for reward money!”
Mu Chun was worried. “You have so much blood on you—”
“It’s all other people’s,” Ji Gang interjected between retching. “Go save Female Historian Jiang. I’ll protect her here.”
Mu Chun looked disdainful. “Just you?”
Vomiting like he was pregnant.
“Female Historian Hu can protect herself,” Ji Gang pointed at the overturned carriage. “She killed the man inside. Without her, Jiang Quan and I would already be dead.”
Mu Chun mounted his horse with his sword. “Don’t move from here. Xu Zengshou went to call for reinforcements.”
Xu Zengshou encountered the North City Military Commissioner’s reinforcements halfway. The capital was managed by five Military Commissioner offices responsible for security in each district, similar to modern district police stations, divided into East, South, West, North, and Central Military Commissioner offices.
The Military Commissioner offices patrolled the streets day and night in shifts. The black smoke from the explosive weapons in the alley rose like a black dragon coiling above North City. Without waiting for Xu Zengshou to call for help, the North City Military Commissioner personally led his troops racing to the scene.
Xu Zengshou was a famous wastrel in the capital – everyone in the world knew his name.
The North City Military Commissioner immediately ordered his men to protect Xu Zengshou – if Duke Weiguo Xu Da’s beloved son died in the North City district, his official cap wouldn’t be secure!
But Xu Zengshou said, “Marquis Xiping’s son Mu Chun has already gone to rescue people.”
Why weren’t these playboys hugging beauties and drinking flower wine at Qinhuai River instead of coming to my North City? The North City Commissioner’s eyes darkened as he gripped his sword. “Pass the order: close the city gates, close the ward gates, shops must also close. Set up roadblocks at every street intersection and thoroughly investigate all passersby. Also notify the Embroidered Uniform Guard that their people have been attacked.”
His subordinates left to carry out orders. The Commissioner drew his sword, his eyes cold as ice. “Follow my command: save people first, catch bandits second. Don’t let a single one escape.”
What audacity, committing murder in broad daylight in my North City!
When Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander Mao Qiang arrived, several corpses lay across the alley. The nine Embroidered Uniform Guards were dead, leaving only the vomiting Junior Flag Ji Gang and Hu Shanwei sitting numbly under a large tree in blood-stained clothes.
Seeing Mao Qiang, Hu Shanwei quickly stood up and asked, “Where is Sister Jiang? Did you find her?”
“Not yet,” Mao Qiang said. “However, Mu Chun and the North City Military Commissioner caught two alive and are interrogating them. The entire city is now under alert and the gates closed early. We will definitely catch the bandits and rescue Female Historian Jiang – but now you must explain everything that happened in detail, starting from when you left the palace gates. Don’t leave out any details. The more detailed your account, the faster we can find the mastermind and rescue Female Historian Jiang.”
Hu Shanwei detested Mao Qiang, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on old grudges. She said, “You must hurry, or you’ll only find Sister Jiang’s corpse – a headless corpse…”
Hu Shanwei recounted the events while an Embroidered Uniform Guard clerk recorded everything. Clearly, this group of desperadoes targeted Jiang Quan.
Jiang Quan had only been in the palace for four months – what enemies could she have in the capital? It was probably an old grudge. At thirty-nine, Jiang Quan entered the palace court. Could it be to escape enemies? After all, most women her age would already be grandmothers, enjoying their golden years with grandchildren.
In the heavily protected inner palace, enemies would find it difficult to act, so as soon as Jiang Quan left the palace, she encountered assassination.
To maintain a group of assassins, the enemy must be very powerful in the capital with the ability to hide their tracks. Who could it be?
According to Jiang Quan’s household registration when she entered the palace, she was from Fujian, an only daughter with considerable family property, never married, with no relatives. What enemy could such an orphaned girl make to cause someone to spend heavily to maintain assassins and risk assassination in the capital, specifically demanding her head?
Mao Qiang was completely puzzled when a subordinate reported, “Sir, the bandits in the imperial prison have confessed.”
Once in the Embroidered Uniform Guard imperial prison, no living person kept their mouth shut.
“Let’s go,” Mao Qiang said. “Escort Female Historian Hu back to the palace with strict protection. Be sure to personally deliver her to Palace Administrator Fan. Also, tell Palace Administrator Fan that both the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Five City Military Commissioners are doing everything to find Female Historian Jiang’s whereabouts and will definitely give her an explanation.”
Administrator Fan was difficult to deal with. If something happened to Female Historian Jiang, she would surely blame the Embroidered Uniform Guard for inadequate protection – two female historians went out on business, only one returned, the other’s whereabouts unknown.
Moreover, this incident involved the Empress’s book compilation and conflicts between the Central Palace Empress and Eastern Palace… Mao Qiang got a headache thinking about it – how did everything get tangled together?
Mao Qiang went to the imperial prison to interrogate the bandits while Hu Shanwei, covered in blood, returned to the palace. Not only Palace Administrator Fan but even Empress Ma was alarmed, ordering Shang Gong Bureau’s Cao Shanggong to question her.
The Shang Gong Bureau was the head of the six bureaus, directly assisting the Empress in managing the inner palace, so Cao Shanggong was usually imposing. Seeing Hu Shanwei’s disheveled hair, covered in blood and sweat, with the smell of gunpowder mixed in – the combined odors were nauseating.
Seeing Hu Shanwei’s wretched appearance, Cao Shanggong couldn’t help but feel angry. “How is it you again? Can’t you stay quiet for a few days? Peach blossom powder, the library, and today I hear you blew up half a street in North City! You’re a disaster bringing misfortune from inside the palace to outside!”
Snap! Palace Administrator Fan slammed her teacup heavily on the table. “Cao Shanggong, are you here to lecture someone today or to question her on the Empress’s orders?”
Cao Shanggong said, “Four months ago, when none of our six bureaus wanted her, you should have found an excuse to send Hu Shanwei out of the palace. But though you clearly didn’t want her either, you kept her in the palace to manage the library. Now look – one crisis after another. Before she entered the palace, the inner palace was never this eventful!”
The Palace Administration Office was independent of the six bureaus. While others gave Cao Shanggong some face, Palace Administrator Fan wasn’t inclined to indulge her. She said coldly, “Palace affairs – how could a mere eighth-rank female historian stir them up? Do you think sending away Hu Shanwei would calm everything and bring world peace? When chaos appears in the inner palace, we must find ways to solve it. Otherwise, what use are our six bureaus and one office?”
“Enough, enough!” Wang Shangfu of the Shang Fu Bureau played peacemaker. “Whether Hu Shanwei is right or wrong, we can discuss later. What’s important now is what exactly happened outside and where is Jiang Quan? This is what the Empress wants to know. Cao Shanggong, wouldn’t you agree?”
Jiang Quan belonged to the Shang Fu Bureau, so naturally Wang Shangfu had to inquire when her subordinate had an incident.
Because of the Empress’s gifted boots, Wang Shangfu was the first to show appreciation for Hu Shanwei, but later abandoned her when she became embroiled in scandals, choosing Jiang Quan instead to avoid trouble. She never expected Jiang Quan to be an even hotter potato than Hu Shanwei!
Sigh, why do I always misjudge people?
Wang Shangfu personally poured a bowl of heat-clearing, summer-cooling sour plum soup and handed it to the sitting Hu Shanwei. “Here, drink this and then give a proper account. Palace Administrator Fan is most fair – don’t be afraid.”
Today’s scene was too terrifying – she had even killed someone. Though he was a bad person, the scene of blood spurting when she sliced the bandit’s throat kept replaying in her mind. When Wang Shangfu handed her the sour plum soup, she screamed and instinctively reacted, swatting away the bowl.
Crash! The bowl shattered, and the dark red sour plum soup splashed everywhere, staining Wang Shangfu’s dress and shoes. Hu Shanwei quickly retreated to the corner, pointing at the spilled soup. “Blood, so much blood! Save Sister Jiang, quickly save her!”
Wang Shangfu, splashed with sour plum soup, said, “You… ungrateful wretch, don’t know what’s good for you!”
Cao Shanggong sneered. “Wang Shangfu, now you know my anger. This Hu Shanwei is a disaster.”
Palace Administrator Fan frowned and ordered her subordinate, “Go call Medical Officer Ru to treat Female Historian Hu.”
Hu Shanwei’s mental state seemed problematic.
Medical Officer Ru arrived and, seeing Hu Shanwei curled in the corner, took a silver needle and slowly approached her. Catching her off guard, she inserted the needle at an acupoint on the back of her head, knocking Shanwei unconscious.
Medical Officer Ru checked the unconscious Shanwei’s pulse and lifted her eyelids. “Chaotic pulse – it’s soul-loss syndrome. I’ll prescribe a calming, spirit-stabilizing formula. As for questioning, wait until she wakes up. In her current state, you won’t get anything from her anyway.”
Worry clouded Cao Shanggong’s face. “How do I explain this to the Empress?”
Palace Administrator Fan handed Cao Shanggong a thick stack of case files. “These are partial confessions Mao Qiang sent over. Take a look – you can understand the general situation.”
Suddenly, commotion arose outside the Palace Administration Office.
“Noble Consort, in this blazing heat with the vicious sun, why have you come?”
The three fifth-rank female officials looked at each other: Great, the most difficult person had arrived.
Noble Consort Hu’s status was precious, so the three Shang-titled female officials had to rise and leave the cool room with ice basins to greet her outside.
“Rise, no need for ceremony.” Noble Consort Hu, holding her large belly, hurried over. “Where is Hu Shanwei? I want to see her.” The consort was covered in sweat – it was the hottest time of afternoon, and the heat had ruined her makeup.
Palace Administrator Fan signaled the two palace maids at the door. Understanding, one quickly went to the room to hide the case files Mao Qiang had provided, while another stripped off the blood-stained clothes from the unconscious Hu Shanwei, covered her with a thin blanket, and wiped the dirt from her face with a damp cloth so she didn’t look so terrifying.
The maid even sprinkled a few drops of Western perfume – it was said Westerners often went their whole lives without bathing, using perfume to mask odors, so it should work to cover the blood smell.
When Noble Consort Hu entered, she saw a clean, fragrant Hu Shanwei.
Palace Administrator Fan asked, “What brings the Noble Consort to the Palace Administration Office?”
Noble Consort Hu examined the unconscious Hu Shanwei on the bed. “Hu Shanwei and Jiang Quan left the palace together on business. I heard only Hu Shanwei returned, covered in blood. I’m concerned about Jiang Quan’s safety – where is she? Why hasn’t she returned?”
Noble Consort Hu’s belly was huge like a ripe pumpkin. Being her second child, she could give birth anytime, anywhere. Palace Administrator Fan didn’t want the consort to be frightened at this time – if she miscarried or had difficult labor, harming the imperial heir, not only Hu Shanwei but even the Palace Administration Office would be in deep trouble.
Palace Administrator Fan’s mind worked quickly, instantly finding an excuse: “People outside spread false rumors. What’s on Shanwei isn’t blood but splashed sour plum soup – Hu Shanwei returned early because she’s weak and fainted from heatstroke. To rehydrate and cool her, they pinched her nose and poured several bowls of sour plum soup, spilling it on her clothes. As for Jiang Quan, she’s still at bookshops searching and buying books, protected by ten Embroidered Uniform Guards. How could anything happen?”
Noble Consort Hu’s suspicions weren’t dispelled as she asked Medical Officer Ru, “Your medical skills are excellent. Tell me, does Hu Shanwei show symptoms of heatstroke?”
Medical Officer Ru had worked with Palace Administrator Fan in the palace for ten years – they had this much understanding. She nodded. “Noble Consort, Hu Shanwei indeed fainted from heatstroke.”
This wasn’t the time for internal conflict – they had to present a united front. Wang Shangfu pointed to her own dress and laughed. “Noble Consort, look – even my dress was splashed with some sour plum soup.”
Cao Shanggong also said, “Your Ladyship is heavy with child. Please take care of your precious body and don’t believe those rumors.”
Noble Consort Hu took a deep look at the unconscious Hu Shanwei and seemed to believe them, standing up with a flick of her sleeves. “When Jiang Quan returns, have her come to Yanxi Palace immediately.”
Palace Administrator Fan agreed.
Noble Consort Hu endured the blazing sun to come. Being so far along in pregnancy, she didn’t dare use ice, so her phoenix palanquin had no ice vessels for cooling – it was unbearably hot.
However, Noble Consort Hu didn’t seem to mind these discomforts. She was thinking about the scene at the Palace Administration Office. Being pregnant, she was sensitive to smells and could detect the thick bloody scent beneath the heavy perfume.
Moreover, Noble Consort Hu clearly saw blood traces in Hu Shanwei’s ear canals and scalp!
Noble Consort Hu opened her hand – there was a dark red stain on her finger. Before leaving, she had quickly touched Hu Shanwei’s hair under the cover of her wide sleeves. Bringing her finger to her nose, she smelled a sweet, fishy odor – blood.
Why did the three major female officials and the usually honest Medical Officer Ru all lie to her?
Something had definitely happened!
Was that blood Jiang Quan’s? Was she still alive? Had that person… discovered Jiang Quan’s true identity?
The child in her belly perhaps sensed its mother’s tension and began moving. Noble Consort Hu felt her belly suddenly contract, tightening in waves like a Western clock being wound.
Having given birth to Prince Chu before, from past experience she recognized these contractions – the second child was probably about to be born.
This is motherhood – during pregnancy, an umbilical cord connects mother and child. The child can sense the mother’s emotional changes, and the mother can detect when the child has stayed in the womb long enough and wants to come out.
When a child is born, the umbilical cord is cut and the placenta separates from the mother’s body, but an invisible umbilical cord will tightly connect mother and child forever!
Right now, she should immediately return to Yanxi Palace for delivery, but…
“Go to Kunning Palace. I want to see the Empress,” Noble Consort Hu ordered the palace servants from her phoenix palanquin.
At Kunning Palace, Noble Consort Hu waited for an audience with Empress Ma.
The Shang Gong Bureau’s Si Yan office managed imperial memorials and communications – there were two sixth-rank Si Yan officers, two seventh-rank Zhang Yan officers, and four eighth-rank female historians rotating on duty. This department was extremely important, equivalent to the Emperor and Empress’s voice.
The Si Yan officer on duty this afternoon was the sixty-year-old Liu Siyan, one of the earliest female officials to serve Empress Ma, having accompanied her for nearly forty years.
Liu Siyan said, “The Empress is not receiving visitors today. Please return, Noble Consort.”
Actually, Noble Consort Hu’s belly was too large. Recently, everyone knew about the “conflict” between the Central Palace and Eastern Palace. If anything happened to the heavily pregnant Noble Consort Hu, wouldn’t the Empress be blamed unjustly?
Honestly, Noble Consort Hu coming to Kunning Palace in the great summer heat seemed like deliberate provocation.
Noble Consort Hu was turned away but didn’t insist. Walking out of the great hall, she suddenly turned around, knelt down, and removed her hairpins and ornaments. “Empress! Your sister was wrong and specially came to Kunning Palace to remove her ornaments and await punishment. I beg the Empress to see me once – I have something important to tell you!”
The incident was so sudden that no one expected the usually arrogant Noble Consort Hu to perform the ritual of removing ornaments to await punishment at Kunning Palace. Everyone was shocked – had Noble Consort Hu gone mad?
Once she lowered her head like this, she might never be able to raise it again.
Everyone rushed to help her up, but Noble Consort Hu pushed them away. “I want to see the Empress. If the Empress won’t see me, I won’t get up.”
Soon, Liu Siyan came over. “Help the Noble Consort inside.”
Empress Ma sat in a wind chair, wearing a simple, unadorned kudzu robe, asking, “What is the matter?”
Noble Consort Hu knelt without rising. “What your sister wants to say will plunge both myself and the Hu family into eternal damnation. I only request one thing—”
Empress Ma thought Noble Consort Hu was going to ask for forgiveness of her own crimes, but the consort said, “I beg Your Majesty to pardon Female Historian Jiang Quan’s crime of deceiving the monarch…”
Meanwhile, at the Embroidered Uniform Guard imperial prison.
Two bandits had been tortured to the point of near death, begging only for quick death.
Mu Chun asked, “What are your names? Where do you come from? Who ordered you? Confess everything!”
The bandit pointed to his throat that was about to smoke. “Water, give me water.”
Mu Chun gave him a bowl of water. When the bandit drank half, Mu Chun snatched it away. “If you want more, confess honestly!”
After four months in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Mu Chun had learned interrogation techniques through observation.
Mu Chun, along with the Xu family’s coachman and bodyguards, and later the North City Military Commissioner’s troops, had captured two alive – the rest were killed while resisting.
However, they hadn’t found Jiang Quan.
Jiang Quan had vanished in the smoke – alive or dead, her body was nowhere to be found.
The bandit said, “We’re mountain bandits from Jiangxi…”
It turned out this group were all bandits from Guaishi Ridge in Nanchang, Jiangxi, who normally made their living by highway robbery and raiding homes. Two months ago, someone brought a chest of gold bars to their stronghold, selected twenty-two bandits with high martial skills, saying they needed them to go to the capital to kill someone. Upon success, they would receive another chest of gold bars.
Wealth moves hearts – with this gold, three generations would have enough to spend.
That person disguised the bandits as merchants with goods, taking boats by water route. Each had household registration and travel permits, passing through several cities along the way.
Arriving in the capital, they were arranged in a large mansion with good food and drink daily, and trained to use crossbows and other regulation weapons only military forces had – they just weren’t allowed to leave, being told to act when the time came.
On this day, their employer said the time had come and showed them a portrait – surprisingly of a beautiful middle-aged woman.
The employer led them to set an ambush in the small alley, saying this was the only route and they had only one chance. They must attack with full force, kill everyone, leave no survivors, and cut off the woman’s head as proof of mission completion to collect the other half of the reward.
The woman was originally in the carriage, but for unknown reasons, she suddenly came out and sat beside the coachman. The bandits thought this was a great opportunity and first aimed their crossbows at the woman’s neck.
But the woman suddenly lowered her head, avoiding the arrow and saving her life…
The rest Mu Chun already knew. Mu Chun waved his hand. “Stop! Who is the employer? Where is the house you were hiding in?”
The bandit said, “We really don’t know! He appeared wearing a mask each time and wouldn’t give his name. The house is in South City – I can guide you there.”
Mu Chun asked, “Even if you couldn’t see his face, you could hear his voice, right? What accent?”
The bandit said, “He spoke Jinling official dialect but could understand our Jiangxi dialect. Sir, except for killing people, we know nothing!”
At this time, Mao Qiang arrived at the imperial prison. Mu Chun quickly ran over to ask, “How is Sister Shanwei?”
“Already sent into the palace with fifty guards escorting her – she’s very safe.” Mao Qiang asked, “Did they confess?”
Mu Chun handed the confession to Mao Qiang. “They’re bandits from Jiangxi. The employer spoke Jinling refined speech but understood Jiangxi dialect without difficulty, probably also from Jiangxi or lived there a long time. But Jiang Quan is from Fujian, an unmarried orphan whose family established a female household for her. Why would these Jiangxi people want to kill a Fujian person from a thousand li away?”
Mao Qiang understood something. Taking the bandits’ confession without a word, he went to the palace to report to the Emperor.
Mu Chun was baffled. Suddenly, his mind lit up: Noble Consort Hu was from Jiangxi. Her father, Marquis Linchuan Hu Mei, had been Prime Minister under the Han King Chen Youliang of the Great Han regime that occupied Jiangxi Nanchang.
Later, Hu Mei secretly surrendered to Emperor Hongwu and offered his beautiful daughter as a show of sincerity, with the condition that he be allowed to retain his existing military authority.
Emperor Hongwu agreed. Based on this promise, Hu Mei still controlled his former army. This special force ate Great Ming rations but only answered to Marquis Linchuan Hu Mei. No one else could command these troops – they were essentially Hu Mei’s private army.
Therefore, this force was watched by the court and was a key surveillance target of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, always remaining in Jiangxi, not permitted within a half-step of the capital…
Since private troops couldn’t be used, did he use gold and silver to buy mountain bandits? But why would Hu Mei risk killing Jiang Quan in the capital?
Mu Chun couldn’t figure it out and simply stopped thinking about it, entering the palace to see Hu Shanwei.
He decided to tell her about Wang Ning – truth was more cruel than lies, but Sister Shanwei was a very strong person. At the critical moment, she had even saved Jiang Quan and Ji Gang. So compared to accepting cruel truth, she probably detested his concealment more.
After all, I promised her I would definitely find the truth.
But when Mu Chun reached the Palace Administration Office, Hu Shanwei had already been knocked unconscious by Medical Officer Ru’s needle and given calming, spirit-stabilizing medicine.
Looking at Hu Shanwei on the sickbed, Mu Chun asked, “When will Sister Shanwei wake up?”
Medical Officer Ru, with a physician’s benevolent heart, thinking Mu Chun represented the Embroidered Uniform Guard coming to interrogate Hu Shanwei, frowned and said, “Why are you all pressuring her one after another? Today’s chase was too bloody, and she killed someone for the first time. Ordinary people find it very difficult to bear this kind of pressure – her spirit nearly collapsed. She needs rest to slowly recover. I cannot forcibly wake her. Too much stimulation could drive her insane.”
Medical Officer Ru was young but highly skilled medically. Mu Chun trusted her diagnosis. Sister Shanwei wasn’t made of iron and couldn’t withstand repeated blows. Better to wait until she recovered.
In the Forbidden City, Kunning Palace.
As the founding Empress, Empress Ma had seen all kinds of strange events and great storms, but hearing Noble Consort Hu’s words, she couldn’t help being surprised: “Jiang Quan is your mother?”
“My birth mother.” Noble Consort Hu nodded, tears falling.
It turned out Noble Consort Hu’s birth mother was Marquis Linchuan Hu Mei’s shameful concubine. When she gave birth to a daughter, Hu Mei felt it didn’t matter and allowed the birth mother to raise the daughter outside, not bringing the daughter into the family home.
But as Noble Consort Hu grew up and became increasingly beautiful with devastating beauty, Hu Mei felt his daughter had political value. He forcibly took the daughter away, brought her home, and had his wife raise her.
The concubine was a parasitic vine dependent on Hu Mei for survival. She had no say in whether her daughter stayed or left, so she could only remain silent. Occasionally being able to see her daughter made her as happy as celebrating New Year.
However, the daughter was given by Hu Mei as a gift of surrender to Prince Wu Zhu Yuanzhang. Then the Great Ming was founded, the daughter became a palace consort, and the concubine never had another chance to see her daughter. Hu Mei, finding her old and faded, a hindrance, pushed her into the river, telling his daughter that her birth mother had died of sudden illness.
The concubine was fortunate and was rescued by a passenger boat on the river. To escape Hu Mei’s persecution, she changed her name, taking Jiang as surname and Quan as given name, settling in Fujian and doing business to support herself. Entering the palace to reunite with her daughter was Jiang Quan’s heart’s desire.
Jiang Quan knew that at her age, entering the palace as a palace maid was impossible. So she studied diligently, reading hard for ten years, finally managing to enter the palace court as a female official at thirty-nine, just scraping by the forty-year age limit. Actually, the real Jiang Quan was already forty-five but had deliberately reduced her age when registering in order to have a chance to become a palace official in the future.
Everyone said Jiang Quan was especially favored by Noble Consort Hu because she had saved the consort when she accidentally fell into the water while picking lotus by the lake.
Actually, it was the opposite. Noble Consort Hu was shocked to suddenly see her birth mother, who should have been dead for ten years, picking lotus by the palace lake, which caused her to lose her footing and fall into the water.
When mother and daughter recognized each other, Noble Consort Hu learned of her birth mother’s tragic experiences, the hardship of studying hard to become a palace official just to find her, and her father’s cold-blooded ruthlessness.
Noble Consort Hu decided to take revenge on her father, letting him know that she was absolutely not the same woman who could be manipulated by her family as before.
First, she used the pretext of approaching childbirth and missing her family to call all the Hu family members from other places to the capital.
At the same time, Noble Consort Hu deliberately did various excessive things, even angering Empress Ma, forcing the Empress to order Palace Administrator Fan to compile books using Song Dynasty consorts as models to educate the six palaces’ consorts in virtue and supervise consorts’ families to establish proper family customs and family laws.
Noble Consort Hu was a Hu family daughter. She couldn’t do anything to her cold-blooded father, but she could have the imperial couple punish her father and the Hu family.
Noble Consort Hu deliberately caused a scene at the library, accusing the Shang Yi Palace female official of demanding bribes from the Hu family, making enemies everywhere and offending almost the entire court, just to let her father know when he entered the palace that she could bring glory to the Hu family but could equally bring disaster.
The Hu family’s future fate was in her hands. She had to make her father kneel and apologize to her birth mother after entering the palace!
Noble Consort Hu wept: “But I still underestimated Hu Mei. He must have planted spies in Yanxi Palace, knowing my birth mother hadn’t died and had become Female Official Jiang Quan. He pretended not to know while secretly having people watch Jiang Quan. So when Jiang Quan left the palace, she hasn’t returned to this day. Hearing that Hu Shanwei returned covered in blood, I suspect Jiang Quan was probably captured by Hu Mei. Your Majesty, Jiang Quan changing her name and hiding her true identity to enter the palace is a crime of deceiving the monarch, but she had her reasons. I beg the Empress for mercy and forgiveness!”
At this moment, Noble Consort Hu wept with snot and tears covering her face, no longer maintaining her former proud and cold beauty. Here was no noble consort, only a daughter worried about her mother.
Seeing Noble Consort Hu like this, Empress Ma’s heart softened. “This matter involves major issues like high court officials spying on the inner palace. I cannot make decisions alone. I can only report what you’ve said to His Majesty. The Emperor will send the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Palace Administration Office to jointly investigate the truth, root out the informants, and confirm the facts before deciding whether to pardon Jiang Quan’s crime of deceiving the monarch.”
Liu Siyan went to the imperial study and told Emperor Hongwu of Noble Consort Hu’s accusations, meeting Mao Qiang at the study door carrying the bandits’ confession.
Meanwhile, Embroidered Uniform Guard tracking dogs followed the trail and finally found Jiang Quan hiding behind the great Buddha statue at Jiming Temple in North City.
At this time, Jiang Quan had various hidden weapons embedded in her back. She was curled up, having lost consciousness from blood loss…
At dusk, Mao Qiang carried an imperial edict and led Embroidered Uniform Guards to surround Marquis Linchuan’s mansion, confiscating the property and executing the clan on charges of disturbing the palace and colluding with bandits in rebellion, including the son-in-law’s family – all three clans were exterminated.
Emperor Hongwu, remembering Hu Mei’s past contributions in expanding territory, showed special mercy – granting death, giving him a complete corpse.
Because it involved the court, this case was historically known as the “Hu Mei Palace Disturbance Case.”
This was Mu Chun’s first time following the Embroidered Uniform Guard to confiscate property. Marquis Linchuan and his father, Marquis Xiping Mu Ying, were both hereditary marquises. Overnight, an entire clan was exterminated and the family wiped out. Mu Chun couldn’t help feeling the sadness of the rabbit dying and the fox grieving: The Hu family had produced a noble consort whose grandson was Prince Chu – what glory was that?
But so what? They could still have their property confiscated and clan exterminated at will, wiping out three clans in one breath, even including the son-in-law’s family!
Mao Qiang saw through Mu Chun’s thoughts and said, “Just a marquis. Earlier this spring, the head of all officials, Prime Minister Hu Weiyong, also had his property confiscated and clan exterminated overnight. Those disloyal to His Majesty all meet the same fate.”
Mu Chun said, “Sir, those bandits came from Guaishi Ridge stronghold in Jiangxi. I request to lead troops to Jiangxi to suppress bandits and completely eliminate the stronghold, cutting out the roots.”
The bandits were too hateful – they nearly killed Sister Shanwei! If he didn’t avenge this, Mu Chun felt he had no face.
Speaking of the bandits, Mao Qiang’s expression grew colder. “In broad daylight, they killed nine of my Embroidered Uniform Guards. If I don’t destroy Guaishi Ridge stronghold, how can I have the face to sit in the commander’s position? But I’m busy with official duties and have no time to personally lead troops to Jiangxi. You and Ji Gang take three hundred Embroidered Uniform Guards to Jiangxi to suppress bandits.”
Time for revenge and merit! Mu Chun was delighted. “I obey orders!”
Mu Chun and the pale-faced Ji Gang, who had vomited repeatedly, selected three hundred Embroidered Uniform Guards. Tonight they would board ships on the Yangtze River, taking the water route to advance toward Jiangxi.
Mu Chun first bid farewell to the imperial couple. The Emperor and Empress naturally had much advice. Empress Ma actually couldn’t bear to let the seventeen-year-old Mu Chun go to war, but his father Mu Ying repeatedly stated that “Mu Chun has no achievements and it’s difficult to request the heir apparent title,” so Empress Ma had to steel her heart and let Mu Chun leave the capital, instructing:
“Though they’re just mountain stronghold bandits, don’t be careless. Be careful in all things.”
Mu Chun agreed.
Emperor Hongwu Zhu Yuanzhang had considerable experience with mountain stronghold bandits – he himself had started as a bandit. In those days, Zhu Yuanzhang was the mountain king of Jiushan in Fengyang, robbing the rich to help the poor, only killing corrupt officials and not disturbing common people.
Emperor Hongwu said, “Mountain strongholds are all built in strategically dangerous locations where one man can hold off ten thousand. They have various tunnels and caves convenient for escape. To attack a stronghold, you cannot use frontal assault but must break through from within. First find inside collaborators. Bandits are a rabble – there will always be those dissatisfied with the bandit chief. Gather them together and say the court offers amnesty, promising official positions and money. Someone will surely betray others. Let them kill each other while you reap the benefits – this strategy never fails.”
Mu Chun said, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s teachings.”
News that Mu Chun was going to Jiangxi spread. His uncle Duke Ying Feng Cheng didn’t come personally to see him off but had someone bring a fine bow, reportedly an old possession of his maternal grandfather Feng Guoyong, telling Mu Chun to preserve it well and inherit his great-grandfather’s divine courage and wisdom.
Uncle-in-law Duke Song Feng Sheng personally came to the docks to see him off, also bringing a hundred well-trained personal soldiers to supplement his nephew-in-law’s military strength – Feng Sheng had always hoped Mu Chun would become heir to Marquis Xiping. A dead man couldn’t become an heir.
Seeing these hundred soldiers were truly capable fighters, well-trained, and bringing their own rations and pay funded by his uncle-in-law, not using Embroidered Uniform Guard expenses, Mu Chun immediately accepted them with a smile.
Besides sending troops, Feng Sheng also came to share bandit-suppression experience, his methods similar to Emperor Hongwu’s – actually, Mu Chun’s maternal grandfather Feng Guoyong and uncle-in-law Feng Sheng had also started as Fengyang bandits. The neighboring mountain chief Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to expand territory and attacked the Feng brothers’ stronghold. Seeing they couldn’t win, the Feng brothers surrendered and joined Zhu Yuanzhang’s forces. Even the histories recorded it this way – absolutely authentic.
His father Marquis Xiping Mu Ying also didn’t personally see off his eldest son – leading three hundred men to suppress bandits was hardly worth calling a military campaign. However, Mu Ying still ordered his ten personal bodyguards to protect Mu Chun.
Mu Chun sent all his father’s bodyguards back, saying it was unnecessary – he could protect himself.
Mu Ying was so angry he jumped up and down. This eldest son was simply a creditor from a past life!
He’s my biological son, my biological son, my biological son. Mu Ying repeated this three times in his mind, finally suppressing his anger and saying, “If he won’t have you, follow from far behind and secretly protect him.”
Thus, Mu Chun and Ji Gang led three hundred Embroidered Uniform Guards, one hundred reinforcements, followed by ten secret guards, boarding ships on the Yangtze River, setting sail toward his first campaign in life – suppressing bandits in Jiangxi.
That year, Mu Chun was seventeen years old.
Meanwhile, at Yanxi Palace.
Medical Officer Ru emerged from the delivery room with blood on her hands, telling Empress Ma, “Hu Shuren had difficult labor and has now fainted from exhaustion.”
With Marquis Linchuan’s mansion confiscated and three clans exterminated, the Hu family was also stripped of noble consort status, becoming a commoner and sent to the cold palace. Considering she carried imperial offspring, she temporarily didn’t need to relocate and still lived at Yanxi Palace.
Empress Ma said, “Treat Jiang Quan’s wounds and have her come accompany Hu Shuren in childbirth.”
Hu Shuren was worried about her mother.
Jiang Quan endured the pain from her back injuries and entered the delivery room. She held a bowl of ginseng soup, gently waking her daughter: “Precious one, my precious child, wake up quickly, make an effort and deliver the baby.”
Half an hour later, Hu Shuren gave birth to a little princess. Medical Officer Ru sutured her wounds to stop bleeding, but it was beyond help. Hu Shuren lay in Jiang Quan’s arms, her body growing colder.
Empress Ma came to see Hu Shuren one last time. Hu Shuren, in a final burst of energy, tightly grasped Empress Ma’s hand: “My mother entered the palace court to see me, but… I must leave. I beg Your Majesty to allow her to continue serving the court, watching the little princess grow up. From now on, Jiang Quan will be Your Majesty’s person, dedicating her life and sacrificing everything in loyalty to the Empress. I beg Your Majesty… to grant this.”
Empress Ma nodded.
Using her last strength, Hu Shuren smiled at Jiang Quan: “Mother, you carried me for ten months and brought me into this world, willingly remaining as a concubine, enduring humiliation and raising your daughter. At such an advanced age, you still studied hard and entered the palace court to find your daughter. As your daughter, I only fulfilled four months of filial duty yet brought you mortal danger. I’m truly… sorry.”
Jiang Quan wept like rain, holding her daughter tightly: “It’s not your fault. It’s because I had such a lowly position back then. I gave birth to you with such beauty but lacked the ability to protect you. I won’t be like that anymore. I will serve the Empress loyally and protect the little princess for her entire life.”
When the death knell rang, Hu Shanwei opened her eyes in the Palace Administration Office, her gaze clear and bright.