On the seventeenth of the seventh month, just after the Ghost Festival, the matter of the Grand Prince’s assassination attempt finally had a conclusion. The Imperial Guard joined forces with the Prefecture Guard to exterminate over three hundred rebels from Huangjue Temple. The ringleaders Yuan Kong, Yuan Jue, Yuan Xing and others were all captured. The records and documents produced were piled thick in a stack, all delivered by Commander Lai to Emperor Jianzhang’s study.
The palace was quiet for two days before ordering that in three days, the ringleaders would be publicly beheaded at the Eastern Street Vegetable Market, and Huangjue Temple would be sealed to serve as a warning to others. Since the failure of Prince Tai’s affair, although there had been several major incidents involving confiscation of property and extermination of clans, never had so many people been killed at once. The monks of Huangjue Temple were almost completely wiped out, and the capital was immediately thrown into panic.
After all, the monks’ identities were unusual, and Huangjue Temple had always had many believers. Now that they suddenly bore the crime of assassinating the Grand Prince, it truly left ordinary common people unable to comprehend. For a time, rumors in the capital became rampant.
These rumors somehow grew increasingly outrageous, and in the end even implicated the Earl of Changning’s estate. People said that perhaps it was because both Master Yuanhui and Master Yuan Kong had once read Song Chuyi’s fortune as the star of calamity and solitude, and now they had been implicated. Miss Song indeed had the destiny of the star of calamity and solitude—it was just that she didn’t bring calamity to herself, but to others.
Old Madam Song was so angry she could barely contain herself. She grasped Song Chuyi’s hand and spat fiercely on the ground. “These people with their venomous gossiping tongues are truly detestable.” But why, out of the blue, did no one else get slandered except Song Chuyi?
Old Madam Song felt somewhat suspicious. She couldn’t speak openly in front of Song Chuyi, so privately she sent word to discuss with Old Master Song and Song Jue. “I always feel these rumors come very suspiciously. Who exactly is so base as to spread such rumors? These rumors came so magnificently—if no one was guiding them behind the scenes, I don’t believe it. But for others to spread rumors to slander you, they need a reason, don’t they? Xiao Yi wasn’t involved in this matter before. This is also too coincidental. Do you think it could be the young lady from the Cui family?”
Old Madam Song knew that Cui Hualuan liked the Grand Prince and had once quarreled with Song Chuyi over this matter. Although she felt in her heart that Cui Hualuan’s upbringing didn’t seem like someone who would do such things, and the Cui family wouldn’t allow her to do so, she still couldn’t help but become suspicious.
Song Chengru shook his head, feeling that the Cui family would absolutely not do such a foolish thing. But these rumors were clearly deliberately disadvantageous to Song Chuyi, so he instructed Song Jue to find a way to investigate.
Rumors were like having legs and wings—they would walk and fly. Today they spread here, tomorrow they were known there. How could they be easy to investigate? Old Madam Song shook her head with deep concern and sighed. “This is clearly aimed at Xiao Yi, probably because of what the Empress said.”
The Empress had previously revealed her intention to make Song Chuyi the Grand Princess Consort. In the past, first perhaps because Song Chuyi hadn’t returned yet, everyone didn’t take it much to heart, and second because the Song family hadn’t expressed their position, everyone just pretended not to see. Those who did see and pay attention probably only kept it in their hearts. Now the Grand Prince had established great merit, the Emperor’s favor was at its height, and Song Chuyi had particularly returned from Jinzhong together with him—in the end, it was too conspicuous.
Song Jue was very attentive. He had always been more resourceful than others when it came to these various underworld matters. He asked friends in the Ministry of Justice to send people to watch at wine shops and teahouses, and indeed managed to trace back and uncover some things.
The rumors had first started spreading from the Wei estate. When Song Jue heard the news, he turned around and told Old Madam Song. “It’s the Wei family, the one serving under Prince Dongping who offended Mingzi at Huangjue Temple last time.”
Old Madam Song’s eyes and brows revealed coldness. “Spreading such rumors at this time, clearly intending to ruin Xiao Yi’s reputation. But what status does the Wei family have? The girls the Empress has selected for the Grand Prince are all from prestigious noble families. Their Wei family doesn’t even qualify. For no good reason, why would they do such a base thing that damages their virtue?”
Old Madam Song had never had a good impression of Eastern Palace’s Fan Liangdi and Prince Dongping. Thinking about it, she frowned. “Could this be the intention of Fan Liangdi and Prince Dongping? Can they really not bear to see the Grand Prince do well?”
But the Song family knew the inside story of the assassination. No matter how muddled the Crown Prince was, would he still indulge Fan Liangdi and Prince Dongping in making trouble at this time? Had Prince Dongping’s brain also turned stupid?
Prince Dongping’s brain hadn’t turned stupid. Precisely because it hadn’t, he was angry enough to stamp with rage. When he saw Wei Yansheng, he was practically furious beyond measure. After restraining himself repeatedly, he finally said: “Why do such base things? For no good reason, inviting suspicion!”
His days were already very difficult now. As soon as Zhou Weizhao returned, he was practically radiant. Everywhere at court, one only heard praise for the Grand Prince’s achievements. Now the matter of Huangjue Temple still wasn’t completely settled—keeping a low profile was already not enough time, so why provoke the Song family for no good reason?!
Qian Ying also frowned and glanced at Wei Yansheng who had followed in. “Indeed, it was done too rashly. The Song family is not to be trifled with. These rumors specifically name Miss Song the Sixth. They won’t let this rest.”
Wei Yansheng hung his head, also somewhat resentful in his heart that his own mother and old grandmother were petty and narrow-minded, actually having people spread such rumors. He sighed with shame written all over his face. “It was this subject’s mother and old grandmother who were muddle-headed. They’re all women of the inner quarters—what do they understand? They just felt that Miss Song the Sixth was formidable, and if she truly married the Grand Prince as the rumors suggest, they feared it would be disadvantageous to Your Highness.”
But now it was even more disadvantageous to him! Prince Dongping sat down in his chair with a headache, his gaze somewhat vacant. It wasn’t that he couldn’t see the recent changes in the situation. Even Chen Dezhong, that old fox who had long had an understanding with him, seemed to be avoiding him. Zhou Weizhao hadn’t died and had returned perfectly fine. His and his mother’s positions had not only become awkward, but they had also become objects of everyone’s suspicion. Their situation was truly embarrassing. Things were already so difficult at every step, yet the people below were still so stupid. He was truly unbearably angry. “Clean up the mess you’ve made yourself!”
Wei Yansheng naturally didn’t dare refuse. At this juncture, His Highness the Prince was in a very difficult position—he knew this in his heart. For these subordinate officials to not be able to share his worries and instead add to his troubles was truly too lacking in discernment. On the other hand, he thought that his mother was indeed too petty in temperament, and her way of handling matters truly wasn’t appropriate. He should go back and properly talk with his mother, tell her to restrain herself. This time she had done bad things with good intentions. She thought she was dealing with Song Chuyi, but actually she had created no small trouble for His Highness. If she did two more things like this, he feared his official position would come to an end.
But before he had time to deal with this mess, something happened.