In the end, it was just as Old Master Song had predicted—matters couldn’t be dragged past the Mid-Autumn Festival. Several vassal princes had rushed back to celebrate Mid-Autumn, offer ancestral sacrifices, and congratulate Emperor Jianzhang again on his birthday. Prince Su and Prince Lu had arrived in the capital early before Mid-Autumn. Throughout their journey they had been proper and well-behaved. They had declined as much as possible all invitations from the officials hosting them, arriving without a speck of dust upon them.
On Prince Gong’s side, however, his illness had lasted nearly half a month. Remaining in Hebei without sending a single message—if this dragged on any longer, people would start becoming suspicious. Emperor Jianzhang understood this principle, but he truly hadn’t decided how to deal with his younger son.
His feelings toward his younger son and his older son were the same in his heart. The eldest son was naturally different, monopolizing favor and affection. The younger son was also a treasure of his heart. Now that the elder and younger sons had come to this, the elder son had already had his prospects severed by his mother’s resolute heart. But what about the younger son?
Emperor Jianzhang was extremely vexed. Whenever he was vexed, he liked to sit before the Three Pure Ones’ divine images. His dream of cultivating immortality and attaining the Dao—after all these years, not only had it not diminished, but rather with advancing age it had grown increasingly intense. He sat before the Three Pure Ones’ divine images for half a day, then summoned Lai Chenglong, asking him if there was any news from Langfang.
Lai Chenglong remained as conscientious and responsible in his duties as before. He was an excellent assistant. Unlike Chen Xiang and the others who were impeached every few days, Lai Chenglong was reliable in handling affairs. Though he couldn’t be called supremely clean and honest, he could absolutely be called a good person. Since he had become Commander of the Imperial Guard, the number of deaths in the Imperial Prison had decreased by half.
Emperor Jianzhang liked people who didn’t make trouble. When he was young, Prince Tai had caused such chaos he nearly descended to King Yama’s hall. Throughout his life, what he most detested was people making trouble. Back when Xingfu made trouble, he had Xingfu’s head moved to a new home. But now the one making trouble was his own son. He had already killed one son with his own hands. Now to have him kill another—he truly couldn’t do it.
Lai Chenglong, conscientious and responsible, reported Prince Gong’s circumstances to Emperor Jianzhang in detail like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, “Evil wind entered his body. Once the wind blew on him, it became even more severe. These past few days he can’t even walk, remaining in a dazed stupor.”
What evil wind entering the body, what wind-chill—it was probably that the matter had been exposed, he knew to be afraid, and had been frightened into this state. Emperor Jianzhang was perfectly clear in his heart. His expression showed nothing, but in his heart he let out a long sigh. The bright red cinnabar brush in his hand was set upon the desk. He instructed Lai Chenglong, “Bring him back properly.”
The Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching. No matter how he should be dealt with, the person must first be brought back before anything else could be said. Lai Chenglong lowered his head and respectfully acknowledged the order, turning to leave. Then he was called back by Emperor Jianzhang. Looking back, he saw Emperor Jianzhang’s facial expression was gloomy and overcast. His heart skipped a beat, but his face dared show nothing. He respectfully lowered his head.
“You’ve been getting quite close to that girl from the Song family. She’s just a young girl, yet she actually knows you and can even command you?” Emperor Jianzhang’s question seemed casual, and he didn’t even raise his head to glance at him.
This question was not so easy to answer. Experienced as Lai Chenglong was, he couldn’t help breaking out in cold sweat on his back. Fortunately, he had already prepared his explanation beforehand. At this moment he didn’t dare show timidity either, still calmly and placidly lowering his head respectfully, “We traveled back together all the way from Yangquan. The Sixth Miss said she trusted me.”
Emperor Jianzhang fell silent for a long while, then waved his hand dismissing him. After pondering for a time, he summoned Attendant Hu to hear about the Crown Prince’s current condition, then had Steward An go invite Song Chuyi.
Upon hearing he was to invite Song Chuyi, Steward An’s legs felt somewhat weak. Even back when the Emperor and Empress were at odds, quarreling and bickering, he hadn’t been this afraid. The reality was this Sixth Miss Song was simply not an ordinary person—terrifyingly so.
Fortunately, this time after bringing the person, he didn’t need to attend at the side. He came out to the corridor, wiped away sweat, and pricked up his ears to listen to the movements inside.
Emperor Jianzhang left Song Chuyi waiting for a while, finishing the official documents at hand. Raising his head, he saw Song Chuyi composed and at ease. He glanced at her, “These past few days you haven’t returned home at all. Are you not the slightest bit worried?”
Last time he had already spoken so clearly, just short of telling Song Chuyi plainly that he had the intention to kill and silence her. Yet for these several days he hadn’t spoken up to have Song Chuyi return, and on Empress Lu’s side there had also been no sound. Yet Song Chuyi could still maintain her composure—Emperor Jianzhang knew perfectly clearly that Song Chuyi hadn’t even sent a single letter home.
Song Chuyi’s pair of eyes were clear and transparent as black grapes rippling in a lake. Looking at Emperor Jianzhang, she blinked, “Your Majesty’s sagely wisdom illuminates all things. If these past few days Your Majesty has investigated clearly, surely you wouldn’t fail to punish the evildoers and instead turn against me.”
Though young, she was truly clever and intelligent, and her words were well-spoken. Emperor Jianzhang placed both hands on the table and let out a laugh, “Your verbal skills are certainly nimble.” He paused, then looked at Song Chuyi and hesitated for a long while.
That day, the death warriors the Crown Prince had sent to assassinate Song Chuyi were ones he had raised. The Imperial Guard had already clearly identified the roster. Casting the net down, all these people the Crown Prince had raised over the years were caught in the net like fish. As for those wolf packs that later appeared in the outskirts, those too had been investigated clearly. They were the work of Prince Gong’s messengers sent to the capital colluding with Daoist priests from the Qingxu Temple. They had first sabotaged the carriage, then along the way lured wolves to where they were resting, aiming to catch them all in one net and then frame the Crown Prince.
This showed these two truly were brothers—their desire for the other to die cleanly was identical.
Thinking of this, Emperor Jianzhang couldn’t help his expression becoming somber, “Since you’re so eloquent and persuasive, why don’t you offer me some advice? The Crown Prince is already in this state. How should Prince Gong be dealt with?”
This question was asked with rather malicious intent. Difficulty appeared between Song Chuyi’s brows. Looking at Emperor Jianzhang, she sighed helplessly, “This subject woman simply doesn’t know, which is precisely why I petitioned Your Majesty to make the decision. Now how is it that Your Majesty is instead asking me to speak? If I say to let it go lightly, that would seem too insincere. But if I tell you to please act harshly, wouldn’t you feel I’m malicious and further suspect whether the Grand Prince and I also have thoughts of competing for power?”
The words had finally reached the crux of the matter. Emperor Jianzhang raised his eyebrows, “Could it be you don’t have such thoughts?”
If she didn’t, why would she only tell Lai Chenglong about this matter after the Empress had moved against the Crown Prince? Wasn’t it precisely fear that he would deal fifty blows each to the Crown Prince and Prince Gong, then let the matter drop?
Song Chuyi’s facial expression was extremely sincere, “How His Highness the Crown Prince has treated the Grand Prince, you have also seen with your own eyes. Just as I told you, I’m not doing this for anything else—I’m only seeking to preserve this life. Surely I shouldn’t have to lose my life just because I married His Highness? If this time the matter is lightly glossed over, wouldn’t the Grand Prince’s life and mine be worth less than nothing? At that time, His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness Prince Gong would probably hold our lives in even greater contempt and take them for their amusement at will. Your Majesty, we actually only seek justice, and only seek to continue living in this world.”
Whether or not this was entirely true could be debated, but the words Song Chuyi spoke truly couldn’t be faulted. What the Crown Prince and Prince Gong had done was simply inhuman. That she would be so unrelenting, trying every means to have them receive retribution, was also human nature.