Yan Shifan was a very simple person—as long as you gave him enough money, he would get things done. If you didn’t pay, it didn’t matter who you were, he wouldn’t bother moving.
Prince Jing was one of his own, but he still had to pay him before Yan Shifan would scheme and serve as his strategist. No money, no talk.
Yu Dayou belonged to the enemy camp of Xu Jie. After losing a battle, Yan Shifan wanted to take the opportunity to destroy him, but Lu Bing offered a thousand taels of gold to bribe him, so he immediately went to the palace to plead for Yu Dayou, changing his sentence from execution to exile.
Yan Shifan operated on a foundation of integrity—there was absolutely no situation where he would take money without delivering results. He was the essential tool for murder and arson, scapegoating and framing the virtuous, rescuing people from death row, and pleading for succession rights.
Eunuch Wei returned to Prince Jing’s mansion with Yan Shifan’s strategic advice to report back. After hearing it, Prince Jing collapsed onto his throne. “So I still have to go to that godforsaken place Anlu in Hubei? This prince doesn’t want to go.”
Prince Jing had enjoyed smooth sailing for twenty-three years, thinking the succession was within his grasp. He never expected to capsize in the gutter due to lust, exposed by the nobody Wang Daxia. One wrong step led to another, even dragging down his mother Consort Lu Jing.
Seeing Prince Jing disheartened, Eunuch Wei quickly encouraged his master. “Though Anlu is remote, it is after all the dragon’s birthplace. It’s not just any random fief. His Majesty lived in Anlu for fifteen years and has deep feelings for it, considering it his second hometown (the Zhu imperial family’s ancestral home was Zhongdu Fengyang Prefecture). Whenever Anlu suffers floods or other natural disasters, His Majesty immediately issues edicts to exempt taxes and provides extensive relief.”
“His Majesty sending Your Highness to rule Anlu shows he still has high hopes for you. After Your Highness arrives in Anlu, if you show genuine reform and benefit the fief, though thousands of li away, His Majesty will still see Your Highness’s virtues. Your Highness can slowly win back imperial favor. When our assassins remaining in the capital find an opportunity to eliminate Prince Yu, His Majesty will surely send someone to bring Your Highness back from Anlu.”
After Eunuch Wei’s consolation about a promising future, Prince Jing slowly recovered and found some hope. “Father Emperor won’t let me enter the palace, and Mother Consort is under house arrest. This prince has fallen to rock bottom. However, Minister Yan is right—His Majesty now disdains me but equally disdains Prince Yu. We’re both the same, essentially tied. All this started because of Wang Daxia, who nearly ruined my future.”
Prince Jing gritted his teeth. “Wang Daxia must be torn apart to resolve the hatred in my heart. When this prince makes his comeback, I’ll also destroy that arrogant Lu Ying who insisted on protecting Wang Daxia. Isn’t she proud and aloof, thinking no man in the world can catch her eye, believing herself superior to men? When I ascend to the supreme position, I’ll take her into the rear palace, make her wear women’s clothing again, and compete jealously with other women for my favor like any other female. She’s just another woman—what hero is she pretending to be.”
Eunuch Wei listened and obsequiously agreed. “Wang Daxia is a minor figure—eliminating him won’t be difficult. But Your Highness, this time Prince Jing’s mansion had an unpleasant conflict with Lu Ying and offended Lu Bing. Lu Bing usually treats Your Highness and Prince Yu equally without showing favoritism or taking sides. His Majesty also values him highly. This servant advises Your Highness to apologize to Lu Bing. It’s better to resolve enmity than create it—don’t push Lu Bing into Prince Yu’s arms.”
Currently between the two princes, Xu Jie’s faction supported Prince Yu while the Yan Song and Yan Shifan father-son duo supported Prince Jing. Previously the west wind (Prince Jing) had prevailed over the east wind (Prince Yu), but now the wind direction had changed. The west wind Prince Jing was banished to Anlu, Hubei, making the east and west winds equal. If Lu Bing supported Prince Jing, it would be the first time the east wind might prevail over the west wind.
As long as Prince Jing’s lust didn’t cloud his judgment, his strategic thinking was decent. He said, “Lu Bing is Father Emperor’s confidant. He’s only loyal to Father Emperor and won’t participate in succession struggles. His two daughters—one married to Yan Shifan’s son, the other to Xu Jie’s son—isn’t that for balance? This old fox won’t support Prince Yu just because Lu Ying had a conflict with me. However, I still must guard against Prince Yu taking the opportunity to win him over. I can’t leave the mansion now, so tomorrow you take generous gifts to the Lu mansion to apologize on my behalf.”
Eunuch Wei agreed. Early the next morning, he visited the Lu family. Lu Bing received him warmly, seemingly not distancing himself from Prince Jing due to the conflict between Prince Jing and Lu Ying.
September’s autumn was crisp and clear, perfect for climbing high to gaze far. Lu Bing invited Eunuch Wei to tour the garden and went to Moon-Inviting Platform. But they saw it was already occupied—Lu Ying in women’s clothing and Wang Daxia were drinking chrysanthemum wine and eating frost-welcoming spicy rabbit. Lu Ying seemed slightly drunk, with rosy clouds floating on her cheeks, eyes slightly unfocused, lips curved in a half-smile.
Eunuch Wei had never seen Lu Ying so elegantly dressed and shy, and was momentarily stunned.
Seeing her father and Eunuch Wei coming up, Lu Ying quickly stood to bow. Accustomed to men’s clothing, she now wore women’s attire and walked on wooden platform shoes shaped like small boats, swaying unsteadily like a little brother who had stolen his sister’s clothes.
Lu Ying wore a gossamer-thin gold gauze crown on her head, a red brocade jacket with gold-woven climbing peony patterns, and a green gold-woven skirt with “happiness climbing eyebrows” motifs. Inside she must be wearing a horsehair petticoat, making her skirt spread out like a lotus pod.
Horsehair petticoats came from Goryeo. When the Ming was founded, Emperor Hongwu and Yongle had many Goryeo concubines in their rear palaces, who brought these puffy umbrella-like horsehair petticoats to the Ming, briefly becoming fashionable. Many officials liked wearing horsehair skirts under their robes to appear tall and robust.
When elegantly dressed Lu Ying sat still, she looked exactly like a refined lady, but her daily movements were masculine, and walking exposed her.
Now wearing women’s clothing and dragging a heavy, puffy horsehair petticoat, she tried hard to walk like a lady, keeping her legs together in small steps, becoming neither fish nor fowl, swaying down the steps like a green penguin.
On the last step, Lu Ying’s platform shoe caught her wide skirt and she nearly fell. In the critical moment, Lu Ying naturally grabbed Wang Daxia’s arm beside her, while Wang Daxia instinctively put his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “Careful!”
Wang Daxia steadily supported Lu Ying, and the two even shared a smile. Though Wang Daxia’s face was still injured, it didn’t diminish his handsome appearance. Lu Ying in women’s clothing looked like a pretty maiden as long as she didn’t walk. Standing together, they appeared to be a perfect couple.
“Ahem!” Lu Bing really couldn’t bear to watch anymore and coughed lightly twice. You two, know when to stop!
When Wang Daxia put his arm around Lu Ying’s waist just now, Lu Bing wanted to personally tear him apart.
From today on, Lu Bing began his daily three self-reflections: Why did I recruit this troublemaker to the Embroidered Uniform Guard? What’s so good about him? Is it too late to regret now?
“Eunuch Wei.” Lu Ying and Wang Daxia bowed together, as if yesterday’s life-and-death scene at Qionghua Island never existed.
As long as we’re not embarrassed, you’re the embarrassed ones.
Eunuch Wei’s mind thundered: No wonder Lu Ying risked her life multiple times yesterday to save Wang Daxia! She killed over ten Prince Jing mansion guards in succession, like a desperate woman—it was all to save her lover!
Indeed, women are women! Lu Ying was no exception, flying into the flame for love, sparing no cost to save Wang Daxia!
This explained everything. How could there really be a superior who would risk breaking with a prince, get blood on her hands, and repeatedly enter danger to protect a subordinate?
It was all for love.
Lu Ying said, “Daughter won’t disturb Father and the Eunuch’s refined pleasure of climbing high. Daughter takes leave.”
Wang Daxia: “This subordinate takes leave.”
The two descended Moon-Inviting Platform. Going downhill in a puffy skirt and platform shoes was much harder than going up. The spread skirt would obstruct vision. Lu Ying clumsily descended while Wang Daxia frequently extended his hand to support her, preventing her from falling.
Love truly could change everything. Lu Ying, who only wore men’s clothing, actually put on women’s attire for Wang Daxia.
After Eunuch Wei returned to Prince Jing’s mansion, he told Prince Jing everything he witnessed. “…Our assassins still can’t move against Wang Daxia. Given Lu Ying and Wang Daxia’s relationship, she’ll definitely protect him to the end. It’s not worth breaking the jade vase while trying to hit the mouse.”
Prince Jing had fantasized about ascending the throne and taking Lu Ying into his rear palace, but now his fantasy was shattered—Lu Ying and Wang Daxia were actually a couple!
Prince Jing showed mocking intent and said, “Lu Ying is eighteen this year, isn’t she? Already an old maid, yet still flirting with a pretty boy four years younger. How shameless.”
Prince Jing never considered that he was twenty-three and had used a telescope to spy on palace maids averaging fourteen years old—he was nine years older than them.
Those with filthy hearts see everyone as dirty. Prince Jing said, “That loose woman Lu Ying has definitely taken Wang Daxia as her kept man. I won’t pick up another man’s leftovers. When I ascend to the great throne in the future, I’ll make sure this pair of adulterers Lu Ying and Wang Daxia meet bad ends.”
Eunuch Wei advised, “Why use a cleaver to kill a chicken? Don’t waste the mansion’s assassins on an ant like Wang Daxia to avoid alerting enemies. Eliminating Prince Yu is more important.”
Thus Wang Daxia luckily escaped mortal danger through his scandal with Lu Ying.
The Forbidden City, rear palace.
The rear palace’s ruler Consort Lu Jing fell from power overnight and was confined to Chenggan Palace. Emperor Jiajing issued an edict appointing Consort Wen Jing to control rear palace authority.
Consort Wen Jing had never borne children and had an honest, sincere character (at least superficially). She had always minded her own business in the palace. When Consort Lu Jing held power, she didn’t curry favor but quietly lived her life.
Emperor Jiajing used her precisely because she had no children and no attachments, so she wouldn’t show favoritism or cover up wrongdoing. With her tranquil nature, she wouldn’t be jealous of the newly favored Beauty Shang.
Consort Wen Jing didn’t disappoint expectations. After receiving the phoenix seal from Emperor Jiajing, she immediately took action, preparing Yude Palace for Beauty Shang’s residence, selecting the best of everything for Beauty Shang, calling her “sister” with great affection.
Shang Qinglan, newly favored, was like a delicate crabapple blossom unable to withstand harsh wind and rain. Feeling somewhat unwell, she summoned her old acquaintance Wei Caiwei for examination.
Wei Caiwei applied cooling, anti-inflammatory ointment and ordered palace servants to inform the female historian officials that Beauty Shang could not serve in the imperial bed for at least three days. After three days, they would decide based on Beauty Shang’s recovery.
Shang Qinglan had an adaptable personality. After treatment, unable to lie still in bed, she enthusiastically pulled Wei Caiwei to tour her new residence.
After settling the emperor’s new favorite, Consort Wen Jing began arranging for the palace maids in Chuxiu Palace. Following Emperor Jiajing’s decree, all palace maids would remain in the court. Consort Wen Jing first arranged for the nine injured maids in Yikun Palace, ordering female court physicians and imperial doctors to jointly diagnose and treat them well, then met with the remaining thirty-nine maids with gentle kindness, inquiring about their well-being while memorizing each person’s appearance and personality.
Next came distributing the thirty-nine palace maids. Consort Wen Jing dared not decide alone and specifically requested imperial instructions. The two princes still had no heirs, so for the sake of offspring, several should be sent to the princely mansions to bear children and continue the imperial lineage. This was Consort Wen Jing’s duty as stepmother.
When Emperor Jiajing heard this, he became angry. “Prince Jing needn’t be considered. He’s about to go to his fief to benefit the people. What use are so many women?”
Consort Wen Jing understood—giving none to Prince Jing, she’d send more to Prince Yu since there were many selected maids this time.
Who to choose?
Consort Wen Jing looked at the palace maid list. The nine injured definitely couldn’t be sent, so she could only select from the healthy thirty-nine.
Recalling the thirty-nine maids’ appearances, the first to appear in her mind was Li Jiubao. Li Jiubao’s looks were most outstanding, with elegant and dignified bearing, leaving a deep impression on Consort Wen Jing.
Li Jiubao was also Beauty Shang’s roommate, and according to Nanny Song, the two had good feelings and were like sisters.
But Consort Wen Jing had navigated palace politics for years and deeply understood rear palace rules. Now Beauty Shang alone enjoyed the emperor’s favor. With limited imperial attention, under competition for favor, women couldn’t have true sisterly feelings.
Li Jiubao was so beautiful that though the emperor might sleep with her once or twice out of novelty, she wouldn’t receive Beauty Shang’s level of favor, but Beauty Shang would still feel some favor was divided, causing displeasure.
Since they were roommates, if Consort Wen Jing kept Li Jiubao, Beauty Shang might misunderstand that she was jealous and deliberately wanted Li Jiubao to divide favor.
I’ve just taken control of rear palace authority and need to win over the new favorite Beauty Shang. I can’t start by making enemies. If Beauty Shang whispers complaints to the emperor, won’t I end up like Consort Lu Jing?
So for rear palace peace, Li Jiubao must be sent away.
Thus Consort Wen Jing wrote Li Jiubao’s name on the list for Prince Yu’s mansion.
Author’s Note: Fate has still returned to the starting point of the previous life.