Empress Lu looked at Zhou Weizhao, then at Emperor Jianzhang, and already knew this matter wasn’t simple. These two, grandfather and grandson, had probably long since reached a tacit understanding. The breath she had been holding in her heart was only now truly released.
After releasing it, it immediately rose again. Emperor Jianzhang had just dismissed the ministers with a few casual words that easily deflected their concerns. She had listened in confusion, and the ministers must have also felt bewildered—although many people had been dealt with, all said to be killing chickens to frighten the monkeys and show Prince Gong, the underlying details still hadn’t been explained clearly.
For example, how could such formidable spies have appeared beside Zhang Tianshi and Zhou Weizhao? These matters absolutely couldn’t be investigated deeply. She herself also felt a large stone lodged in her heart, stuck neither rising nor falling, pressing down on her until even breathing was difficult.
Just as she was thinking about the Lu family’s affairs, the civil and military officials had all been dismissed by Emperor Jianzhang. The great hall then seemed empty and vast, with only Chief Minister Chang and a few other important ministers remaining.
No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t figure out what scheme her maternal family was plotting, or whether it had any connection to old Kong’s affair. Her heart was tangled like a mess of hemp threads. Right now the officials had been shocked by Emperor Jianzhang’s resurrection from death and hadn’t reacted yet, but once they came to their senses, they would surely understand. Though many spies had been caught, where was the root?
Han Zhengqing and Prince Gong weren’t celestial immortals—without anyone helping them, could they directly bribe the trusted confidants beside the Grand Prince and the Heavenly Master? And in the end, they even reached their hands into the palace—who would believe that?
As she was thinking these thoughts and developing a headache, there was already movement outside the screen. Eunuch An called out “Grand Princess Consort,” and at the entrance to the hall, Song Chuyi entered unhurriedly. Empress Lu glanced over but didn’t just see Song Chuyi—she also saw Lu Chonghua, and couldn’t help but stand frozen in place. Lu Chonghua’s funeral had already been held… yet at this time he appeared here again?
Compared to her shock, Emperor Jianzhang was obviously much calmer. Seeing Song Chuyi leading Lu Chonghua through the door, he even had the leisure to ask Chief Minister Chang: “The news transmitted back from Shaoting’s side is truly reliable?”
Chief Minister Chang affirmed: “It’s a desperate battle—there can be no carelessness. When chaos breaks out in our capital, it can help that side let down their guard.” As he spoke, he glanced at Song Chuyi and Zhou Weizhao: “His Highness and Her Highness are both very clear about Han Zhengqing’s character. If it’s as they said, when Han Zhengqing receives replies from his trusted subordinates and learns that the capital is in complete chaos, he will naturally first think of ways to retake Suzhou. On Governor-General Cui’s side, as long as he holds out through this period, there might well be good news.”
“The Henan reserve training troops have all rushed to the capital outskirts’ military camp?” Emperor Jianzhang nodded: “What about the Three Great Camps?”
This matter Cen Biliang could speak to: “Your Majesty can rest assured, the Three Great Camps drill daily without slacking, and the Henan reserve training troops have also rushed to the capital outskirts’ military camp.”
Having finished asking about these matters, Emperor Jianzhang looked toward Song Chuyi: “You’re that certain that the fish have all been netted clean? Compared to the original plan, you’ve made me lie down quite a few days less.”
“If it had continued any longer, I’m afraid we couldn’t have endured it.” Song Chuyi spoke truthfully: “His Highness and I have both become villains in the common people’s eyes. Even the common people are anxious and uneasy—many want to flee the capital and head south, and quite a few officials have packed their belongings as well. Before I entered the palace, I encountered an assassination attempt.”
She spoke very lightly. Seeing Zhou Weizhao look over, she pressed her lips together and sighed: “If they didn’t think the dust had already settled, they wouldn’t have divided their energy to kill me at this time. Moreover, the Commander of the Imperial Guards said that the head guard beside His Highness personally stood up to accuse His Highness of conspiring with the Heavenly Master to poison—so I guessed that their trump cards had all been revealed.”
She recounted again the intelligence she had obtained when meeting with Lu Chonghua: “Chonghua stated clearly at the time that the spy beside His Highness must have close ties with the Lu family, and old Kong was the one with the most weight. Since he’s jumped out, even if there are others, they’re not that important anymore. And even if old Kong stubbornly refuses to talk when the time comes, won’t we still have Uncle Lu to tell us what other people he has hidden beside His Highness?”
Empress Lu’s earlier suspicions were confirmed. The stone that had seemed lodged in her heart suddenly sank heavily downward. In her panic, she couldn’t catch her breath and coughed violently several times. A trace of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, but she was completely unaware of it. She only felt utterly ridiculous—not only had the son she raised become a problem now, but even her maternal family, deeply afraid she wasn’t miserable enough, wanted to come step on her further.
Initially, she had thought Uncle Lu wanting to push Lu Chonghua on Zhou Weizhao was already very bold, but she didn’t know that Uncle Lu’s appetite was far greater than that.
Lu Chonghua had already knelt on the ground, repeating again in front of Emperor Jianzhang and Chief Minister Chang and the others what he had already said once before to Song Chuyi, his entire face flushed red with shame.
Chief Minister Chang, Cen Biliang and the others had never imagined that the biggest fish caught in the end would be the Empress’s maternal family, the Grand Prince’s maternal relatives. Their expressions all became somewhat subtle. No wonder Emperor Jianzhang had directly and decisively sentenced Kong Shun and the others to death by a thousand cuts without continuing the interrogation.
If they continued the interrogation and Kong Shun revealed the Lu family, the imperial family would have no face left.
Although face had already been completely lost because of Prince Gong, this was still something that could be patched over. But if they added the Lu family to it, even patching couldn’t be done. The common people and ministers would only feel that the imperial family had too many troubles, that this entire series of events was caused by the imperial family’s internal strife over unequal treatment, and in the end it would inevitably lead to more chaos.
Better to vaguely settle the crimes of Kong Shun and others first, kill some people to appease and reassure the people’s hearts.
Emperor Jianzhang didn’t hide or conceal anything from these trusted ministers—he let them hear everything they should hear, then spoke with a cold laugh: “So tell me, what should be done about the Lu family?”
Since the Imperial Guards hadn’t mentioned the Lu family just now, it naturally meant they couldn’t deal with them openly. Chief Minister Chang glanced at Zhou Weizhao, then at Song Chuyi, and exchanged looks with Cen Biliang: “The common people and ministers all know that Prince Gong planned to frame and slander His Highness the Grand Prince and murder Your Majesty. Since the villains already exist, there’s no need to drag out more people and cause panic. The Xingyang Fan clan and the Han clan will certainly have their nine familial relations executed. Once these two families’ affairs come out, other matters will seem insignificant in comparison. As for the Lu family… a fire broke out, and the fire burned down the entire Lu family ancestral estate.”
This was already the best method he could think of—one that wouldn’t make this matter public and greatly harm the face of the imperial family and Grand Prince, while still allowing the Lu family to receive punishment.
Empress Lu sat dazedly behind the screen, feeling shadows wavering before her eyes, yet she clearly couldn’t see any of them distinctly. Her heart ached dully.
Emperor Jianzhang only spoke again after a moment: “Burning it is fine. The twenty-first of the second month is an auspicious day—don’t spoil this auspicious day. If there’s to be a fire, wait until after that day.”