Mao Qiang’s eyes showed a warning: “Do you know how many people in the rear palace would die just because of that one sentence of yours?”

They were all intelligent people who understood with just a hint. Mao Qiang guessed Hu Shanwei’s meaning: someone from the rear palace had made the move.

The reason he directly guessed the rear palace had three causes:

First, Empress Ma was someone who never formed factions or seized power. She wasn’t anyone’s patron and never cultivated her own influence. Therefore, Empress Ma herself had no political enemies.

Second, Empress Ma had not given birth to a legitimate heir. All the princes were nominally her sons, and Empress Ma treated them all equally without favoritism. On the contrary, with Empress Ma present, the princes actually had a common patron and protective umbrella. Whenever any prince was scolded or beaten by Emperor Hongwu, Empress Ma would intercede for them. So on this point, no one would pose a threat to Empress Ma.

Third, Empress Ma had always restrained her maternal relatives, with no troublemaking family members. The Ma family posed no threat to any political force.

This was related to Empress Ma’s background.

Empress Ma came from a landlord family in Suzhou, Guidefu. She had been literate and educated since childhood, far more cultured than Zhu Yuanzhang who couldn’t read a single character. Her father was a chivalrous, warm-hearted man who would draw his sword to help when seeing injustice, often supporting various “heroes” – kind and generous.

After her father died, the family fell into decline. During the chaos of war, the Ma clan members couldn’t even take care of themselves – how could they care for orphans and widows? The widowed mother took her daughter Empress Ma to seek protection from Guo Zixing, her father’s sworn brother.

Empress Ma became Guo Zixing’s adopted daughter, living under someone else’s roof, used as a chess piece to win over subordinates. The young Zhu Yuanzhang was brave and good at fighting. When not in battle, he was responsible for ceremonial duties as Guo Zixing’s ceremonial leader.

Because it involved dignity, all those involved in ceremonial duties had decent looks and physique. Any one of those honor guards with good looks, long legs, and big chest muscles from the national flag guard five hundred years later could easily outshine pretty boy celebrities. Though Guo Zixing’s ceremonial team was somewhat inferior, they were still carefully selected handsome young men, showing that Zhu Yuanzhang’s looks ranked above average among this group of peasant rebels.

Guo Zixing arranged for Empress Ma to marry Zhu Yuanzhang. By then, Empress Ma’s widowed mother had already died, completely severing ties with her maternal family.

Therefore, the Ma family members that Emperor Hongwu found from their Suzhou hometown were only clan members within five degrees of kinship to Empress Ma – their blood relation had already thinned. The Ma clan naturally wanted to curry favor with Empress Ma and become imperial relatives. These clan members had ignored the orphaned mother and daughter back then and even took advantage of their misfortune to seize family property. Therefore, Empress Ma was indifferent to these clan members, but due to filial duty and clan pressure, she couldn’t refuse to acknowledge them – forgetting one’s ancestors would be criticized by others.

As an empress, throughout history, the empress’s maternal family would generally be granted titles like Marquis of Grace and given official positions. Emperor Hongwu did the same, bringing Empress Ma’s clan members to the capital after his enthronement to give them wealth and honor.

Emperor Hongwu did this not because he had any interest in the Ma clan members, but out of respect for Empress Ma. If he ignored Empress Ma’s clan members, outsiders would think Empress Ma’s position was unstable and would look down on the empress.

However, Empress Ma refused Emperor Hongwu’s “grace” of ennobling her family members, saying giving them wealth was sufficient – official positions should go to the capable, lest they occupy positions without merit and harm the country.

Empress Ma being so virtuous, Emperor Hongwu inwardly also didn’t want his in-laws to become too powerful. So according to Empress Ma’s request, he gave generous wealth to send the Ma clan members back home to guard Empress Ma’s parents’ graves, granting them nominal official positions with monthly stipends just to support them. The Ma clan members honestly tended graves in the countryside – what political enemies could they have?

For these three reasons, therefore, Empress Ma posed no threat to any important forces in the court. After her death, neither court forces nor succession would be affected.

The only place where Empress Ma’s death would cause massive changes in interests was the rear palace.

As long as Empress Ma lived, no matter how high their rank, all the consorts in the Eastern and Western Six Palaces were concubines.

If Empress Ma died, Emperor Hongwu was just over fifty and still relatively young. He would most likely establish a new empress. Even if he didn’t immediately crown a new empress, one of the consorts would emerge to oversee rear palace affairs. The temptation of power and status in this was too great.

The person planning to assassinate Empress Ma should come from the rear palace – the consort who would ultimately replace Empress Ma’s position, or this consort’s family or supporters.

Hu Shanwei said, “I know that if His Majesty heard this, the rear palace would definitely run red with blood. Moreover, all of this is just my speculation without any concrete evidence, so I only dare to voice my doubts privately to Lord Mao. Please pay attention to clues related to the rear palace. If the silkworm mother’s assassination of the empress wasn’t a random event but related to the rear palace, then the mastermind behind it, having failed once, will probably continue stirring up trouble.”

“Furthermore, when Her Majesty the Empress was ill in winter, the rear palace was calm. As soon as the Empress’s health improved and she could participate in the elaborate silkworm ceremony, the silkworm mother assassination immediately occurred. With these facts before us, I can’t help feeling there’s a conspiracy.”

Hu Shanwei had no evidence, but under her calm analysis, every statement was reasonable. Even Mao Qiang didn’t think she was just chasing shadows.

As Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Mao Qiang had countless lives on his hands, but he wasn’t a demon – everything was done under orders. He wouldn’t spare anyone, nor would he kill an extra person unnecessarily.

After a long silence, Mao Qiang said, “You should understand that without concrete evidence, the Embroidered Uniform Guard cannot interfere with the rear palace. His Majesty is wary of outside ministers reaching into his own backyard. The rear palace ultimately belongs to the Six Bureaus and One Department. To investigate, it must be the rear palace people secretly investigating themselves, and they can’t let His Majesty know.”

Hu Shanwei understood Mao Qiang’s concerns because every time she appeared before the emperor, she walked on a knife’s edge, extremely dangerous. Her eyes had nearly been gouged out twice. With Emperor Hongwu’s explosive temper, even if Hu Shanwei had a hundred pairs of eyes, it wouldn’t be enough for Emperor Hongwu to gouge out.

Emperor Hongwu was like a fire-breathing dragon. Once he opened his mouth, before problems were solved, hundreds or thousands of lives would first be “burned” away.

Therefore, Empress Ma always advised His Majesty not to handle matters based on personal emotions – everything had rules, and according to law, those who should handle such matters should do so, then await results.

Hu Shanwei said, “I know what to do. When I return to the palace and resume my position as Court Lady, I’ll find ways to probe and root out the mastermind. However, I can’t succeed alone – I’ll need Lord Mao’s support when the time comes.”

Mao Qiang complained, “Even if you didn’t speak up, someone would help you. That boy Ji Gang has grown his wings and always bends his elbow toward you.”

Mao Qiang had painstakingly cultivated Ji Gang, yet Ji Gang always ran to help Hu Shanwei at critical moments. Mao Qiang felt like his own carefully tended cabbage was being stolen and eaten, arousing his suspicions: “You’re not lusting after Ji Gang’s beauty and harboring improper thoughts about that boy, are you?”

A wave of nausea came over her, and her forehead began throbbing dully again. Hu Shanwei clutched the spittoon and vomited violently. Finally, she rinsed her mouth with warm tea and said, “Doesn’t Lord Mao have any awareness of his habit of randomly playing matchmaker? This is a sickness that needs treatment.”

Having been rebuffed by Mu Chun and now told by Hu Shanwei that he was sick, Mao Qiang hit walls repeatedly and had no choice but to call over his own “cabbage” for a lecture.

Mao Qiang warned, “Why do you always help Hu Shanwei escape danger? Scolding the archer guards, risking danger to rescue her in the silkworm room.”

Ji Gang counter-questioned, “If Lord Mao had been at the scene, would you have watched Hu Shanwei die with your eyes wide open?”

Mao Qiang asked again, “Don’t you have improper thoughts about Hu Shanwei? She has a bad personality, stubborn as a rock, and no earth-shattering beauty – she’s not even as good-looking as you! What exactly do you all see in her!”

Ji Gang counter-questioned again, “Having designs on rear palace women – am I the type to be blinded by lust and court death? Why is Lord Mao like gossipy old ladies, seeing men and women get close and immediately thinking of romantic entanglements? There are still prisoners to interrogate – I’ll get busy first.”

Ji Gang strode away, leaving Mao Qiang speechless and hitting his third wall.

Hu Shanwei waited until the swelling on her forehead subsided and the bruising faded. Though the scars on her back hadn’t fully healed, she impatiently returned to the palace to serve Empress Ma.

The flesh wounds from the stitches on Empress Ma’s chest had healed, and the stitches had just been removed. She needed fresh medicinal paste applied daily. When Hu Shanwei returned, Empress Ma was very pleased and summoned her for an audience, having her on duty that very day.

Hu Shanwei paid respects to Empress Ma on her sickbed. Empress Ma granted her a seat: “Sit right beside me.”

A small palace maid placed an embroidered stool beside the bed. Empress Ma said, “Let me see your wounds.”

Hu Shanwei lowered her head: “I fear they might offend your eyes.”

Empress Ma said, “No matter. Scars are the medals of the brave.”

Hu Shanwei undid her white jade collar, removed her upper garment, and exposed her back. Seven or eight rows of arrow scratches had formed dark red scabs, row upon row like rust growing on warm, smooth jade – quite jarring and ugly.

Empress Ma’s soft fingertips gently caressed each row of “rust”: “Does it hurt?”

Hu Shanwei: “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

It had hurt before – she could only sleep on her back or side, not daring to lie flat.

Empress Ma sighed, “When the scabs fall off, there will definitely be scarring. It would be fine for a man, but for a young lady like you, it’s ultimately inappropriate.”

Hu Shanwei used Empress Ma’s own words to comfort her: “No matter. Scars are the medals of the brave.”

Empress Ma was amused and laughed: “Put your clothes back on. You really are silver-tongued and well-spoken, naturally suited for the position of Court Lady. During the two months you recuperated at the traveling palace, I felt quite stifled. The body, hair, and skin are received from parents and should be cherished. I’ve already had Medicine Officer Ru work with Imperial Physician Tan to search among the people for various ancient prescriptions and medicines, specifically to prepare scar-removing medicine for you.”

This was tremendous grace, and Hu Shanwei was infinitely grateful. However, after the brief joy of their post-disaster reunion, Hu Shanwei still honestly shared her suspicions and reasoning with Empress Ma: “…This matter is of great importance. Your subject has been thinking about it day and night, tossing and turning, worried about Your Majesty’s safety. However, having no evidence, these are just words chasing shadows. I fear causing rear palace turmoil and panic, angering His Majesty. Yet keeping silent when I know something I could say, I fear a second silkworm mother might appear. Therefore, your subject risks speaking out.”

If this were a muddle-headed empress, Hu Shanwei would probably be accused of sowing discord among rear palace wives and concubines, stirring up trouble.

Empress Ma was a reasonable person. Actually, as a childless empress, especially after her only close friend and helper Noble Consort Chengmu Sun died of illness, a woman’s intuition plus the struggle over custody of the little princess and other factors made her vaguely sense the crisis.

Empress Ma was cautious in all things. Whether in court or among the people, she had always enjoyed an excellent reputation. Others couldn’t find fault with her, and her position was unshakeable – it was easier to move mountains than to shake Empress Ma.

To move against her, there was only one path: physical annihilation.

Someone wanted her position, wanted her life…

Having experienced hardships throughout her life, sitting firmly in the empress position without sons, Empress Ma was definitely not someone who would sit and wait for death. Facing challenges from the rear palace, there were many things she was capable of doing and had the means to do, but she disdained to do them.

Once Empress Ma took action, she would never use dirty, sinister palace intrigue tactics. Like when dealing with former Noble Consort Hu, she had Fan Gongzheng compile the “Record of Virtuous Consorts’ Admonitions from the Song Dynasty,” immediately purifying palace rules so everyone behaved properly.

Empress Ma didn’t use conspiracies – she walked the great path straight, only using “open schemes.” But when others wanted to use conspiracies and assassination tactics against her, she would never just endure and retreat.

After pondering for a moment, Empress Ma said, “I have a method that requires you to put out bait…”

On the first day Court Lady Hu resumed her original position, she announced shocking news to the rear palace: Empress Ma needed to recuperate and required someone to assist with palace affairs. But everything must have “proper justification” – a person’s status must match what they do. Now that the Noble Consort position in the rear palace was vacant, Empress Ma would select one consort from the Eastern and Western Six Palaces and grant her the rank of Noble Consort.