When the news of Han Zhengqing detaining the imperial commissioner reached the capital, the year’s end was already approaching.
Lanterns and decorations were everywhere. Every household had begun cleaning out the old and welcoming in the new. Receiving such news amid this atmosphere of universal joy truly made it impossible for people to celebrate the New Year with peace of mind.
The true contest had arrived.
As the year’s end approached, Emperor Jianzhang was customarily required to perform sacrifices to Heaven, the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and the imperial mausoleum. This year was no exception. After the Cabinet drafted an edict for Vice Minister of War Li Fengru to proceed to the office of the Supreme Commander of the Three Borders in Guyuan to coordinate with Cui Shaoting in dealing with the traitorous minister Han Zhengqing, Emperor Jianzhang appointed Grand Prince Zhou Weizhao to perform the sacrifices to Heaven, the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and the imperial mausoleum in his place.
Originally, the Supreme Commander of the Three Borders could already control the governors of Hexi, Hedong, and Shaanxi, as well as the nine commanders-in-chief of Gan, Liang, Su, Xi, Ningxia, Yansui, Shendaoling, Xing’an, and Guyuan, wielding enormous power in Xibei. Now with the imperial edict adding authority, it was even more convenient to deploy troops. Emperor Jianzhang had barely finished instructing Li Fengru to help Cui Shaoting deal with Han Zhengqing for defying the edict when he immediately bestowed favor upon Zhou Weizhao. The reason for this was self-evident.
Empress Lu was one of those who understood the deep meaning behind this. After Han Zhengqing openly rebelled, Prince Gong would be next. Thinking of Prince Gong, her complexion paled somewhat as she looked at the faces of Zhou Weiyun and Zhou Weiyang, and sighed softly.
Ever since Prince Gong fled from the imperial mausoleum and Emperor Jianzhang announced Prince Gong’s death, Empress Lu often sat alone in a daze for long periods. Her health gradually declined. Compared to before, she seemed to have aged more than a decade in just a year or two. Even her cheeks had sunken in, revealing high cheekbones that, contrasted with the enormous phoenix hairpin on her head, made her appear increasingly aggressive and intimidating.
Zhou Weiyun finished eating his dessert and pointed at Xie Siyi, wanting a milk biscuit and a plate of triangle pastries. Zhou Weiyang in the wet nurse’s arms timidly sucked on his chubby little finger. Seeing his brother bouncing up and down, he opened his toothless mouth and laughed, showing two little dimples.
Only then did Empress Lu turn her gaze toward them. As she watched, her brows became tinged with even deeper worry and sorrow—these two children were completely unaware that their father had abandoned them, and completely ignorant of what fate awaited them.
Though actually, Empress Lu herself didn’t know either—once Prince Gong truly raised the banner of rebellion, then these two children… these two children’s status would become truly unbearable. Thinking this, her resentment toward Prince Gong deepened another layer. She didn’t care how much Prince Gong hated her. From childhood, she had failed to treat them equally, leading her two sons to turn against each other as enemies. Both sons felt wronged—their hatred and resentment toward her, she accepted it all.
But no matter how much he hated, why must he commit such treasonous acts? No matter what, Emperor Jianzhang had never wronged him, these two children had never wronged him. His father and sons were all here, yet he wanted to raise troops in rebellion…
Seeing his grandmother silent for so long, Zhou Weiyun took a small dish of Taibai pine nut cake in one hand and offered it to her, his face bearing a warm, somewhat ingratiating smile: “Grandmother… you eat.”
Empress Lu’s eyes couldn’t help reddening. Zhou Weiyun was not a foolish child—the imperial family had no stupid people. Presumably because of his mother’s bizarre death from illness and his father’s succession of incidents, supposedly killed by bandits, Zhou Weiyun was very adept at reading people’s expressions. He was also extremely sensitive. Upon seeing Emperor Jianzhang, he was like a mouse seeing a cat, often frightened to the point of trembling.
She gently shook her head at her grandson and touched his head, feeling very heartsick: “Good child, Grandmother won’t eat. You eat.”
As soon as the words fell, a eunuch came in from outside to report that Prince Dongping had come to pay his respects to her.
Xie Siyi bent down and had someone lead both Zhou Weiyun and Zhou Weiyang out, saying in a low voice to Empress Lu: “He just entered the capital together with the Prince Consort and has already seen His Majesty. His Majesty sent him to pay his respects to you.”
Lady Fan the Elder had died, but Empress Lu’s wariness toward Zhou Weiqi had not ended because of Lady Fan the Elder’s death. She had previously kept him at a distance, until this time when Prince Dongping returned from Hubei.
“Summon him in then.” Empress Lu’s expression was somewhat complex as she watched Prince Dongping enter and bow, then gently called for him to rise.
Prince Dongping rose according to Empress Lu’s words and sat in the goose-neck chair with rose-red cushions at the side, his brows lowered and eyes downcast as he listened to Empress Lu’s questions.
Having gone out on this trip, he had lost his former spirited appearance and gained more maturity, as well as considerably more caution.
Without having experienced events, he would certainly not have become like this. Empress Lu thought, feeling somewhat heartsick again. She reached out and called him over. After looking at him for a long while, she sighed: “You’ve darkened and thinned…”
Having rushed back day and night without rest, and having truly exerted himself to the utmost in Hubei trying to do his assignment well to please Emperor Jianzhang, it would be strange if he hadn’t darkened and thinned. Zhou Weiqi shook his head and smiled at Empress Lu: “Lord Cui is even thinner than your grandson.”
On this trip back, not only had he become more cautious and careful, even that imposing aura about him had completely disappeared. He was as careful and cautious as if he were a palace servant. No matter how much Empress Lu disapproved of Lady Fan the Elder, she knew the matter absolutely could not be as disgraceful as Han Zhengqing had described. She grasped Zhou Weiqi’s hand and, after thinking for a long time, finally said: “Just treat that traitor’s nonsense as farting.” She couldn’t help using coarse language. Seeing Zhou Weiqi raise his eyes, she said: “Just as you yourself told your uncle-in-law, your identity has the Eastern Palace’s daily records as proof. You were not bewitched by him. This is very good.”
Zhou Weiqi knelt before Empress Lu and kowtowed several times heavily: “Your grandson is a criminal, unworthy of Grandmother’s such concern.” His eyes reddened as he knelt before the Empress, choking up as he told of Han Zhengqing sending the old ginseng.
Empress Lu and Emperor Jianzhang had actually long known that the Crown Prince’s poisoning couldn’t be separated from Prince Gong’s involvement. But now comparing everything, they finally resolved the last bit of doubt. Her fingers trembled, and for a moment her heart churned with mixed feelings.
She could give birth but couldn’t raise them properly. She had raised both sons to be so extreme and selfish—it was truly her fault.
Thinking this, a fishy sweetness surged up from her throat in waves. Bending over, she actually vomited out a large mouthful of blood. Immediately after, she felt dizzy and lightheaded, her chest unbearably stuffy. She swayed several times and completely collapsed onto the couch, instantly alarming everyone in the entire Qingning Palace.
Zhou Weiqi had only resolved not to be clever and keep small secrets that could later be exploited by Han Zhengqing, Prince Gong, and others. He truly hadn’t expected Empress Lu to be so agitated. For a moment he stood frozen in place, at a complete loss.
Xie Siyi had already hastily dispatched people to summon the imperial physicians.
When Crown Princess Lu at Mingcui Palace in the Eastern Palace received the news, she was speaking with Princess Rongcheng and Princess Duanhui who had entered the palace. Upon hearing this, they were all so shocked they stood up. After steadying themselves and exchanging glances, they couldn’t be bothered to ask detailed questions and immediately headed toward Qingning Palace.