Consort Lu Jing never could have imagined that her love of grand displays would “harm” her. She casually traveled with over a hundred attendants, but it was impossible for all hundred-plus people to be completely loyal. The more servants there were, the bigger the loopholes became—as long as one person opened their mouth, her secrets could no longer be hidden.
Huang Jin ordered Wei Caiwei to treat the unconscious Consort Lu Jing, then wrapped up the telescope fragments and presented them to Emperor Jiajing.
Huang Jin held dual positions as Chief Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and Director of the Eastern Depot. His efficiency in handling affairs was no less than Lu Bing’s. In just the time it took to eat a meal, by the time Emperor Jiajing and Lu Bing finished their dinner and were drinking tea, the evidence had been found.
Emperor Jiajing only needed one glance. Actually, he didn’t need evidence—he was convinced that Prince Jing had been spying on the palace maids and was caught by Wang Daxia. He was very disappointed in Prince Jing. All his previous filial behavior now seemed calculating and ulterior, even more detestable than Prince Yu!
These two sons of his—neither was any good. Both showed no respect for their emperor and father. Prince Yu just expressed it openly in his words and actions, while Prince Jing hid it deep in his heart. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.
Now with irrefutable evidence, all the former paternal kindness and filial piety had become scheming. Emperor Jiajing said, “The disturbance on Qionghua Island today—everyone must keep silent about it. To the outside world, just say that White Lotus Sect spies infiltrated the island and took advantage of the chaos to cause trouble and kill innocents. All the palace maids in Chuxiu Palace shall remain in the palace to serve, and we must properly console the several injured maids. Whether their legs are broken or their faces scratched and disfigured, all shall remain—the palace will care for them for life.”
Emperor Jiajing would not allow anyone to leak information. The only solution was to keep all forty-nine palace maids, with none eliminated.
Huang Jin quickly agreed.
“Consort Lu Jing is in poor health, so let her recuperate quietly in Chenggan Palace from now on. Without my personal decree, she may not come or go.”
This was equivalent to placing Consort Lu Jing under house arrest.
“Prince Jing is twenty-three years old this year and has been married for seven years. When a man establishes a family and career, according to both national and family law, he should go to his fiefdom. Let him move to my former residence, the Prince’s Manor in Anlu, Hubei. I have always missed that place, and I feel at ease entrusting that land to him.”
He was actually banishing Prince Jing to Hubei, far from the capital!
Emperor Jiajing indeed had deep feelings for Anlu. He had even sectioned off a piece of land by the shore of Taiye Pool in the Western Garden to plant southern rice, so that amidst the fragrant rice flowers he could speak of good harvests and listen to the chorus of frogs.
Building a new princely manor would take at least three years, but Emperor Jiajing couldn’t wait. He no longer wanted to see Prince Jing hovering before him, so he simply used the reason of going to his fiefdom to banish him.
In any case, the Prince’s Manor in Anlu, Hubei was ready-made. Empty anyway, with everything complete. Prince Jing’s whole family could move in with their luggage, which wasn’t exactly mistreating his children.
“Tell Prince Jing he need not come to the palace to express gratitude. Taking advantage of the pleasant autumn weather in September, he should quickly go to his fiefdom in Anlu, Hubei, escorted all the way by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Additionally, all the guards and attendants currently in Prince Jing’s manor shall remain in the capital, with Companion Huang selecting other people to serve in the princely manor.”
The Qionghua Island incident—thirty-seven dead, nine injured—was thus settled with Emperor Jiajing’s light dismissal.
For Wang Daxia, Lu Ying and others, there was neither reward nor punishment. In Lu Bing’s view, this was already the best possible outcome. He secretly resolved that he would absolutely never send Wang Daxia into the palace again! This fellow was a walking disaster—trouble followed him wherever he went!
Emperor Jiajing saw that Lu Bing was noticeably thinner than before and said, “Milk brother has worked hard today. Since the matter is resolved, milk brother should go home early and rest.”
Lu Bing bowed, “Your subject takes leave.”
“Wait.” Emperor Jiajing remembered something he hadn’t handled yet. “Wang Daxia is milk brother’s preferred son-in-law candidate, isn’t he? I see that Lady Ying and he are well-matched, often practicing martial arts together. Today especially, she risked her life for Wang Daxia several times. Lady Ying is not young anymore—settling her marriage early would be one less worry for milk brother.”
Children always seemed better in other families. Emperor Jiajing and Prince Yu tormented each other, and now he was disgusted with Prince Jing, but he liked Lu Ying.
Actually, according to Emperor Jiajing’s consistently ruthless methods, the nobody Wang Daxia, having been involved in imperial family scandal, would have been doomed to die despite it not being his fault—except that seeing Lu Ying’s fondness for him, he showed mercy.
This was Emperor Jiajing’s last bit of softness.
On the matter of romantic gossip, Emperor Jiajing was no different from common folk in the northern city—all romance-brained, seeing everything through the lens of love between men and women, rationalizing it all.
If he weren’t her lover, how could Lu Ying possibly risk her life to save Wang Daxia repeatedly? She even went so far as to break with Consort Lu Jing and Prince Jing.
Lu Bing thought: “What’s this about? How could I possibly bear to marry my precious daughter to this walking disaster!”
But after years as sovereign and subject, Lu Bing well knew that Wang Daxia had caused great trouble this time. Without Lu Ying’s protection, he would have died countless times over.
To preserve Wang Daxia’s dog life, Lu Bing could only tacitly accept this matter, saying, “Wang Daxia is indeed good, but he’s still young with an unsettled juvenile temperament. Your subject doesn’t dare entrust my daughter to him yet—he still needs testing. After all, this is Lady Ying’s lifelong matter, and her personality differs from ordinary women. Your subject is still considering.”
In marriage matters, parental command was still primary. Emperor Jiajing nodded and said, “Wang Daxia is indeed somewhat rash—let him gain more experience.”
Lu Bing said, “Both of them are too impulsive and unsuitable for the palace forbidden grounds. Both still need tempering. Your subject will first take them out of the palace, and when they’re properly trained/disciplined, send them back to attend Your Majesty.”
Today’s events worked out well only because Consort Lu Jing and Prince Jing, mother and son, made mistake after mistake, touching the emperor’s bottom line. His Majesty was inherently suspicious, having already deposed three empresses, guarding against imperial family blood relations even more than against ministers. Only thus could Lu Ying and Wang Daxia escape unscathed after causing such a huge mess.
But in the future, they probably wouldn’t have such good luck. With Wang Daxia’s talent for causing trouble and Lu Ying’s fiery temperament, sooner or later there would come a time when even I couldn’t cover for them.
Emperor Jiajing agreed.
Lu Bing quickly prepared to take the youngsters back, but the disaster Wang Daxia was reluctant to leave. “Doctor Wei is still in the palace.”
This fool who didn’t know life from death—Lu Bing nearly had a stroke from anger and slapped the back of his head. “Don’t implicate Doctor Wei—get out of here right now!”
Lu Ying said, “Father, speak nicely and don’t hit people. He’s injured all over.”
Four months ago, Wang Daxia had been chased by the Embroidered Uniform Guard all along Gulou West Slant Street, from Daxing County to Wanping County, nearly shot dead on the spot by Embroidered Uniform Guard Zhou Xiaoqi at the Shuntian Prefecture yamen. Now he’d been chased all over the mountains by Prince Jing’s manor guards shouting to beat and kill him. His situation grew increasingly dangerous, his flying fish robe torn to rags, barely covering his body. Now only his face was still somewhat presentable.
“You shut up too!” Lu Bing roared, warning Lu Ying, “If you don’t listen to me, you’ll probably have to marry Wang Daxia tomorrow.”
Wang Daxia and Lu Ying said in unison, “What? Absolutely not!”
Lu Bing had finally found their weakness. “If you don’t want to marry, come back with me immediately. No dawdling in the palace.”
The two, having their vital points seized, obediently listened and left the palace with Lu Bing.
Qionghua Island, Guanghan Palace.
Another day of mental and physical exhaustion. Emperor Jiajing watched his milk brother descend the mountain and leave the island. Huang Jin draped a crane cloak over the emperor. “Your Majesty, the island is heavy with mist at night. Let’s return.”
Emperor Jiajing said, “I see milk brother looks somewhat weak and doesn’t eat as much as before. Tomorrow go through my inner treasury and send him all those precious medicinal materials.”
Huang Jin agreed. Seeing his poor mood and wanting to please the dragon countenance, he said, “Shang Shi is still waiting for Your Majesty in the bedchamber.”
Oh my, seeing milk brother, I nearly forgot that little beauty.
Emperor Jiajing then returned to the palace. Entering the bedchamber, Emperor Jiajing smelled the aroma of food, suppressing the usual ambergris incense.
Shang Qinglan still wore the silver-red feathered robe, sitting cross-legged on the dragon couch. A small table was set on the bed, and Shang Qinglan held a rice bowl, eating.
Shang Qinglan ate with great relish, her appetite excellent. The simple four dishes and soup were half-finished, and she was picking at the last few rice grains in her bowl. Seeing Emperor Jiajing arrive, she quickly set down the bowl and, following the etiquette Nanny Song had taught, stood on the bed and bowed.
Emperor Jiajing asked, “Why are you eating here?”
Shang Qinglan said, “When Your Majesty left, you instructed your concubine to remain here and not move about, saying you’d return shortly. Your concubine dared not disobey the imperial decree. When evening came and I was truly hungry, I had the palace servants bring food here to eat.”
She was an obedient girl. Emperor Jiajing asked, “Are you full?”
Shang Qinglan said, “I’m full.”
Emperor Jiajing took her hand. “Come down and attend my bath.”
Shang Qinglan, barefoot, was led by Emperor Jiajing to the bathing pool Huang Jin had prepared earlier. Emperor Jiajing spread his arms. “Undress me.”
Shang Qinglan had never undressed anyone before and couldn’t help becoming nervous. She first untied Emperor Jiajing’s clothing sash, but due to her nervousness, the sash became knotted in a tight tangle that grew tighter and more difficult to untie. Her fingers couldn’t open the knot.
Shang Qinglan grew anxious, her forehead and nose tip beaded with sweat. She simply half-knelt and used her teeth to bite and loosen the tight knot on the clothing sash.
Emperor Jiajing’s old candle was simultaneously lit, ready to illuminate the rouge.
Finally passing the first hurdle, Shang Qinglan pulled the sash free, then stood up to untie the clothing sash under Emperor Jiajing’s arms. Her hands had just touched the clothing knot when her legs suddenly left the ground. Shang Qinglan gave a soft cry as she was already swept up in Emperor Jiajing’s arms.
The warm spring water slid over her creamy skin, like a pear blossom branch pressed by a crabapple. After a spell of swift wind and gentle rain, petals of bright red crabapple blossoms fell into the hot spring pool.
The maidservant helped up she who was delicately weak, at the time of first receiving imperial favor.
Meanwhile, in the northern desert, Fengcheng, the Khan’s court.
Hearing that her foster mother sought her, Jin Ying—the most beautiful woman in Mongolia who was arranging her dowry and preparing for marriage—entered the great tent.
The tent was empty; her mother was not there. Jin Ying was about to leave when she discovered the tent entrance had been locked from outside.
Footsteps sounded behind her. Jin Ying turned back and quickly half-knelt in salute. “Grandfather.”
It was An Da Khan, leader of the Left Wing Mongols. His daughter had married Jin Ying’s father and was Jin Ying’s foster mother. The princess’s daughter was titled County Princess, and Jin Ying, deeply favored by her foster mother, had thus received the County Princess title. So An Da Khan was Jin Ying’s grandfather.
An Da Khan personally helped her up but didn’t release his hands for a long time. “Don’t call me grandfather anymore. Become my khatun (wife) instead.”
Two aging dominant rulers of north and south—Emperor Jiajing and An Da Khan—had both fallen under the pomegranate skirts of beautiful young women.
Author’s Note: The tenth-level melodrama you requested has been splashed on—can you still handle it?