The room fell silent as dozens of eyes fixed on Second Lady Dong.
A palace servant studied Second Lady Dong curiously, then suddenly said: “This old servant remembers now – a few days ago when the Young Master went out, carriages from Minister Dong’s household appeared several times. Earlier when the Young Master took a shortcut through the bamboo grove to Moon Lantern Pavilion, the Dong family’s carriage was following behind. If the Young Master hadn’t ordered screens set up outside the bamboo grove, who knows how long they would have followed. Lady Dong, what exactly are your intentions? Why do you keep following the Young Master?”
Duan Ningyuan, unaware of these complications, looked even more disturbed after his initial shock.
Jue Sheng slapped his forehead: “I understand now, Senior Brother! One of these servants pretended to be poisoned while the other desperately tried to get the Six Element Pills from you. If Miss Teng had shared the medicine with them, or if Senior Brother hadn’t set up the Five Viscera Formation, they would have successfully swindled away the Six Element Pills!”
Second Lady Dong’s gaze grew frantic, but she still refused to speak.
Ling Chengyou sneered: “Haven’t finished crafting your lies yet? No matter, I don’t have the patience anyway. According to the dynasty’s laws, ‘Those who steal fifty rolls of silk or more shall be exiled three thousand li,’ and even attempted theft carries two years imprisonment. You and your servant conspiring to steal the Six Element Pills – given their value, fifty lashes and two years imprisonment are warranted. For such a serious crime, we needn’t trouble the Wannian County court. Guards, take this master and servant directly to the Capital Prefecture.”
Second Lady Dong’s face turned deathly pale. She instinctively looked toward Duan Ningyuan. Duan Wenyin, with subtle disgust in her eyes, quietly moved in front of her brother. Fortunately, Duan Ningyuan only stared fixedly at Second Lady Dong, avoiding any rash actions in his agitated state.
As the palace servants moved to surround Second Lady Dong, tears welled in her eyes and she suddenly called out: “Wait—”
She gazed tearfully at Ling Chengyou and slowly prostrated herself: “I never intended to swindle the Young Master’s Six Element Pills – I only wanted to save my mother.”
“Your mother?!” everyone exclaimed in surprise.
Second Lady Dong nodded silently. She tried to speak but her body suddenly shuddered violently – whatever evil art the Crown Prince’s Young Master had used on her was making her unbearably itchy.
“My mother fell ill at the beginning of the year,” she spoke through alternating waves of hot and cold, fighting to control herself. “My father sought out famous doctors everywhere, trying everything from divination to acupuncture, using countless medicines, but mother showed no improvement. Perhaps because he thought about it day and night, one day after visiting Ci’en Temple to offer incense, my father had a dream. In it, a Buddha told him that if he wanted to save his wife’s life, he should seek medicine from the Crown Prince’s Young Master. After waking, my father made inquiries and learned that the Young Master carried extraordinary medicine. The old man became convinced this dream was heaven-sent guidance. The next day, he took my brother to pay respects at the Crown Prince’s mansion, but unfortunately, both the Crown Prince and his wife were traveling far from the capital, and the Young Master wasn’t in Chang’an either. My father searched for a whole month but couldn’t even get a glimpse of the Young Master.”
Being naturally beautiful, with her shoulders trembling slightly as she spoke and tears streaming down her cheeks, she presented quite a touching sight of delicate sorrow.
“After that, my mother’s condition worsened, and my father also fell ill from his daily searching. A few days ago, my brother and I heard the Crown Prince’s Young Master had returned. We waited outside the Crown Prince’s mansion with a glimmer of hope, but perhaps our luck was poor – forget about getting medicine, we couldn’t even get our visiting card into the Young Master’s hands. When I reported this to my bedridden father, he sighed that everything was fated. In recent days, he had asked colleagues to help make connections, but everyone said they couldn’t help. They said Daoist Qingxu had suffered greatly to refine the Six Element Pills, and though he gave them to the Crown Prince’s Young Master, the Young Master cherished his master’s effort so much that he never gave the medicine away.”
The people in the room thought silently that this was indeed true. The Six Element Pills were as valuable as rare treasures – countless people in the capital coveted them. Two years ago, when Minister Wei’s wife was critically ill, he had tried to obtain the pills for her, approaching both the Young Master and Daoist Qingxu, but to no avail. It was only after appealing to the Emperor himself and receiving his intervention that they obtained a single pill.
Soon after, Daoist Qingxu had publicly announced that the Crown Prince’s Young Master had an extraordinary fate and needed to keep the medicine for self-protection. Unless facing great demonic chaos or dire circumstances, he must not give it away, or the Young Master’s own life would be endangered. After this announcement, it thoroughly ended the hopes of those in the capital.
Second Lady Dong continued sorrowfully: “My father said, ‘How many gravely ill people are there in Chang’an? If everyone ran to the Crown Prince’s Young Master begging for medicine, should he give it or not? Daoist Qingxu’s words seemed heartless, but they saved the Young Master from endless trouble. Enough, enough – there’s no hope for medicine now. If mother cannot be saved because of this, it must be fate.'”
“After that, my father and brother gave up thoughts of visiting the Crown Prince’s Young Master. Mother’s illness showed no improvement. I neglected food and rest to care for her. Seeing my haggard appearance, my brother forced me to attend the Double Third Festival banquet to lift my spirits. I had originally planned to pray for my parents by the river, but halfway there I saw the Crown Prince’s Young Master riding past with his servants…”
Her eyes glanced toward Duan Ningyuan. Seeing him motionless, her chest suddenly tightened. She lowered her head in apparent shame: “I had no time to return to the city to inform my father and brother, so I took it upon myself to have the servant drive the carriage to follow. But the Crown Prince’s Young Master noticed and once again blocked us outside the bamboo grove.”
“I was utterly discouraged then and had to take another route. Halfway there, something heavy seemed to fall on the carriage top. When I lifted the curtain, I caught sight of a huge black thing flying past. I was scared out of my wits and fainted on the spot…”
Suddenly remembering Ling Chengyou’s earlier warning, she felt a chill down her neck and quickly corrected herself: “I- I only fainted for a moment. When I came to, I heard people talking outside. They seemed to have just received news that people in the bamboo grove had been attacked by a demon, with many injured. They were heading to Moon Lantern Pavilion to seek the Young Master’s help. So I- I just—”
“So you seized the opportunity to pretend you were poisoned by the demon?”
Second Lady Dong wept: “I thought at the time, with so many injured, one more wouldn’t matter. The Young Master is half a Daoist practitioner – now that demons have appeared in the world, he should bring out the Six Element Pills to save people. If I could use this chance to see the Crown Prince’s Young Master, perhaps I could obtain a pill for my mother. So I changed my plan and simply continued to feign unconsciousness in the carriage. This was my plan alone – my nurse knew nothing about it.”
The Head Matron shook her head desperately, frustrated by the socks stuffed in her mouth.
“I blame only my foolishness,” Second Lady Dong cried. “My mother is like a candle in the wind. As her child, my heart hangs in constant worry. I truly had no other choice but to resort to this desperate measure.”
She broke down sobbing, her expression extremely pitiful. Two of the softer-hearted ladies sighed: “Poor thing, it was all for her mother.”
Duan Ningyuan’s frost-like expression finally softened slightly.
However, at this moment, someone gave a light cough. Second Lady Dong recognized it as Teng Yu Yi’s voice. Remembering everything that had happened tonight, she knew this girl was formidable. While pretending to wipe tears with her sleeve, she remained internally on high alert. Sure enough, Lady Du spoke: “Even if you wanted to save your mother, you shouldn’t have repeatedly harmed others. What happened earlier might be excused as confusion, but later when the Young Master publicly announced the Six Element Pills were all distributed, why did you continue pretending to be unconscious behind the curtain? Though completely unharmed, you allowed your servant to cause a scene, causing Yu’er to bear false blame. What were your true intentions?”
Second Lady Dong harbored silent hatred but showed only anxiety: “I didn’t know beforehand that there wouldn’t be enough Six Element Pills, nor did I know how dangerous the demon poison would be. I was quite surprised when the demon pursued us to Purple Cloud Tower. Though I wanted the Six Element Pills, I never intended to endanger anyone’s life. Later when the medicine was gone, I knew it must be fate, but whenever I thought of mother passing away, my heart burned like oil in a fire. I waited and waited, hoping the Crown Prince’s Young Master might think of another solution.”
“Such filial piety indeed.” Ling Chengyou clapped slowly. “Using filial duty as a cover while harming others. If you had obtained this medicine, someone truly poisoned would have died from lack of it. If that last pill had been given to you, the male servant from the Teng household would be dead by now.”
Second Lady Dong’s tears froze like pearls as she bit her red lip and shook her head desperately.
Ling Chengyou gave her a contemptuous glance: “First deceiving for the Six Element Pills, then hindering my demon capture. If you hadn’t pretended to be poisoned and caused me to set up the Five Viscera Formation, the demon wouldn’t have nearly escaped Purple Cloud Tower. This demon was about to transform into a fiend – if such a tiger had been released from its cage, it would have injured far more than just four or five people. Adding everything together, sentencing you to the rod is not excessive.”
Second Lady Dong opened her mouth to argue but caught sight of the bloodstains on Ling Chengyou’s clothes. Her heart fell into complete panic – she hadn’t realized his injuries were so severe. She had thought she could pretend to be unconscious for a while, then find an appropriate moment to wake up. Demons had countless ways of harming people, so falling unconscious and then waking would have seemed reasonable. But among all her calculations, she had missed these mystical aspects of Daoist arts. Ling Chengyou was no ordinary noble son – if news of his injury reached the palace, both the Emperor and Empress would demand accountability. By then, even her father might be implicated.
Her face turned ashen. She glanced again at Duan Ningyuan, who wore a complex expression but didn’t avoid her gaze. A faint hope kindled in her heart – she had heard the Marquis was close friends with the Capital Prefecture’s governor. If Duan Ningyuan would intercede, perhaps there might still be room for resolution.
Ling Chengyou saw through this clearly and sneered inwardly. He took out a packet of medicine powder from his robe and said to the nearby palace servants: “Bind her and that old one, and send them both to the Capital Prefecture. She has poison insects on her – take this antidote before handling her.”
The room erupted in chaos. Second Lady Dong trembled increasingly, whether from fear or itching was unclear. The Head Matron made muffled sounds and writhed like a fat worm. The palace servants wordlessly bound the two and dragged them from the room.
Just then the bed curtain moved, and Jue Sheng ran out from behind it holding a bowl of charm soup: “Senior Brother, we’ve drawn out the demon poison from Lady An Guo’s body. That’s good – now we don’t have to worry about her dying on the way to Qingyun Temple.”
Ling Chengyou took the teacup. In the brown soup floated ink-like strands – though not much, it was better than drawing out nothing at all. His brow relaxed as he asked: “How are the other four injured?”
“The demon poison is mostly cleared. They should wake up tomorrow.”
Ling Chengyou asked the palace servants outside: “Has Duke An Guo arrived?”
“Yes, he just arrived at the front tower. Duke Chun’an is also outside. Duke An Guo was in such a hurry he fell from his horse on the way and broke his leg. Despite the serious injury, he insisted on rushing to the back tower. Fortunately, His Highness Duke Chun’an stopped him. He’s currently having his leg bandaged in the front tower.”
Ling Chengyou turned to leave: “Prepare horses – we must return to Qingyun Temple quickly.”
***
Outside the tower, lanterns glowed brilliantly as carriages waited solemnly at the entrance.
Teng Yu Yi helped Lady Du into a carriage. Just as the driver was about to raise his whip, there was a commotion of horses and carriages behind them as the Marquis’s household’s carriages surrounded them.
Duan Ningyuan, riding a white-nosed horse with a silver saddle, was the first to rein in his mount. He dismounted and bowed to the carriage, saying respectfully: “My lady has been frightened tonight. I cannot rest easy. If you don’t mind my foolishness, please allow me to escort you back to the city.”
His face remained perfectly calm as he stood with hands clasped after speaking.
Duan Wenyin emerged from behind him, also dismounting: “My lady, Yu’er, Ningyuan lost his composure after drinking tonight and spoke some foolish words. But his nature is pure and direct – he truly didn’t mean it. Many misunderstandings need to be cleared up face to face. He deeply regrets everything. He just told me that with revelers everywhere in and outside the city tonight, and the Teng household needing to care for several injured people, he worried there would be no one to look after you on your way back to the city, so he voluntarily offered to escort you.”
The Teng family’s carriage had an emerald-colored, gold-embroidered curtain hanging in front. All was quiet inside until the curtain rolled up and Lady Du poked her head out. However, it was Teng Yu Yi inside who spoke, laughing: “Thank you for your kind intentions, my lady, but it’s not necessary. Earlier in Purple Cloud Tower, everything was analyzed clearly in front of many elders. Though I am young, I am not confused. What I can understand clearly, the elders surely understand even better. My cousin has just taken medicine and shouldn’t be delayed too long on the road. We must leave now. My lady need not escort us, and I request Young General Duan not block our way.”
Duan Wenyin’s expression stiffened slightly, but she turned to smile at Lady Du instead: “Aunt Du, we’re all family here. I remember when Ningyuan and Yu’er were betrothed, they were only twelve. In a flash, seven years have passed. Yu’er has come of age, and Ningyuan is nineteen, but he’s still not yet reached full manhood, so he’s bound to be rash at times.”
“Forgive me for saying this, but among young men his age in Chang’an, few don’t seek pleasure in wine. Just look at the sons of the Duan household’s relatives – which of them hasn’t done something wild? Taking concubines, visiting courtesans… too many to count. In comparison, Ningyuan’s character is truly exceptional. As a child studying literature and martial arts, he never once complained. When he grew older and his father sent him to train with the army, he slept in frost and snow alongside the soldiers. The Duan family has long had rules: no bedchamber servants before marriage, and no casual taking of concubines after marriage. Ningyuan, the Duan family’s eldest son, has reached nineteen without even a personal maid in his quarters. In Chang’an, who doesn’t praise him as a fine young man?”
“Lady Du, you’re experienced in these matters. You understand these young people’s flaws better than Yu’er. To judge whether Ningyuan is good or bad, you need only look around Chang’an. Sometimes being unable to tolerate any imperfection isn’t necessarily good – it only brings more trouble. Making one foolish mistake isn’t such a serious matter, as long as one corrects it. Though I can see Yu’er may not be willing to hear these words. But you’re different, my lady. You’re the elder Yu’er respects most. The knot in the child’s heart needs your help to untie.”
Lady Du sighed inwardly. Duan Wenyin’s meaning couldn’t be clearer – she meant to say that all young men have their foolish moments, and even if Duan Ningyuan had something with Second Lady Dong, it wasn’t such a serious matter. If they impulsively broke off the engagement, Yu’er might not find a better husband than Duan Ningyuan in the future. But after tonight’s events, not only was Yu’er’s attitude unshakeable, but even she as an aunt would no longer agree to this marriage. She didn’t know exactly how Duan Ningyuan had come to know Second Lady Dong, but once young people’s hearts are moved, they cannot easily be retrieved.
She thought with satisfaction that at least Yu’er saw through things more clearly than she did and acted more decisively.
She studied Duan Ningyuan again. The youth was truly outstanding in bearing and appearance, a dragon among men. Even in such an awkward situation, his manners were impeccable. But although he stood there quietly now, only he knew where his heart truly lay.
She smiled faintly: “My lady, since we’re speaking so frankly, I also have some heartfelt words to share. Yu’er is different from others – she lost her mother at five years old. At that time, the Tufan were invading, and her father had to go guard the border right after handling her mother’s funeral affairs. And I, as her aunt, had just given birth to my eldest son and couldn’t go to the Teng household to care for her. In those early days, apart from the elderly servants in charge, Yu’er had no loving elders around her. Even when she missed her parents, at such a young age she could only bear it alone.”
Duan Ningyuan stirred slightly, unconsciously looking up at the half-lowered emerald curtain.
“Once when I went to visit Yu’er, I found the child holding a little doll her mother had sewn for her, sleeping alone on a swing in the garden. She fell off and got quite a bump on her head. I cried when I saw it. And that was just one incident. Losing her mother so young, and being a girl – I dare not think too deeply about how many hardships Yu’er has endured over these years.”
At this point, Lady Du’s eyes grew warm with tears.
“Later, Yu’er’s father sent her to me for guidance. I wanted to give her all my heart and love. When Yu’er suffered any grievance, it hurt worse than cutting my flesh. When Yu’er was unhappy, I as her aunt felt even more stifled. So my lady is mistaken – not only can I not help console Yu’er about tonight’s events, I’m afraid Yu’er will have to console me. I’ve also understood clearly: though Young General Duan is young, he is not rash. If he didn’t already have thoughts in his heart, he wouldn’t have blurted out words about breaking the engagement—”
Duan Wenyin hurriedly tried to speak, but Lady Du continued: “Moreover, marriage is no trifling matter – how can an aunt casually give advice? In a few days, my brother-in-law will return to Chang’an. He will decide what should be done. My lady must be tired after this long night. Even the most urgent matters cannot all be settled in one evening. Let’s part here and return to our respective homes to rest.”
Having hit two firm but polite walls, Duan Wenyin still didn’t show anger. After pondering for a moment, she smiled and led her horse aside: “Very well, caring for the injured is important. In any case, in a few days, it will be our grandmother’s birthday celebration – our families will meet again then. My lady and Yu’er should go ahead. Tomorrow I’ll visit Young Lady Du.”
Lady Du pretended not to hear the last two sentences and lowered the carriage curtain with a faint smile. Just then, there was a commotion of horses and carriages at Purple Cloud Tower as a group of richly dressed men emerged from inside, walking and discussing something.
The night was deep, with flowers and moonlight reflecting off each other by the steps. Those few people stopped in the half-light of the lanterns, their faces difficult to distinguish clearly.
Servants hurried forward with horses. As the men descended the steps, the one in front wore a purple robe and jade crown, his whole bearing carefree and unrestrained – who else but Ling Chengyou?
Ling Chengyou’s mount was a magnificent stallion, graceful yet imposing, with purple mane and snow-white hooves, adorned with brocade saddle and golden reins. It was probably a tribute horse from foreign lands, given its unusual coloring.
After mounting, he made a whistling gesture with his fingers. A dark shadow suddenly darted out from the darkness, approaching Ling Chengyou and leaping onto the horse’s back.
Lady Du clutched her chest in fright. Teng Yu Yi looked over to see a creature with glowing green eyes and sharp pointed ears – it was a sleek black hunting leopard.
The small leopard crouched behind Ling Chengyou. Though not large, it had an imposing presence. While Chang’an’s young nobles often kept hawks or lynxes, fierce and difficult-to-tame leopards were rarely seen. But this suited Ling Chengyou’s usual style.
Soon after, the guards brought over the Dong family’s carriage. Duan Ningyuan turned his horse in place twice, but finally couldn’t resist and rode toward Ling Chengyou. Duan Wenyin’s face darkened as she immediately followed.
Just as the siblings had ridden halfway, Ling Chengyou turned to look at the Teng family’s carriage and suddenly said something to the young Daoist in front of his horse.
The small Daoist nodded and lifted his robes to run toward the Teng carriage: “Is Miss Teng in the carriage?”
Not only did Duan Ningyuan show surprise, but Lady Du was also quite taken aback.
Teng Yu Yi asked curiously from inside the carriage: “What matter does the young Daoist have?”
Jue Sheng scratched his head: “Might this humble Daoist come up into the carriage? These words must be spoken face to face.”
[Author’s Note:
1. Reference to “Tang Code with Commentary”
The Tang Dynasty didn’t distinguish between criminal and civil cases. In Chang’an, for example, minor cases were usually handled by the Legal Assistant Commanders of Wannian or Chang’an Counties, while major cases would be reported by the County Magistrate (called “Mingfu” in the Tang Dynasty) to the Capital Prefecture. If the Capital Prefecture couldn’t handle it, it would be reported to the Court of Judicial Review.
For truly major cases, they would be jointly tried by the “Three Departments” – the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate.
2. Tang Dynasty nobles liked to bring hunting animals when hunting, as referenced in the poem “Behind the horse the hunting leopard with golden bells, at the very front the goshawk watches with tilted wings.”
However, it seems few nobles dared to use hunting leopards – they generally used lynxes and falcons instead.]