The news of Prince Gong’s entry into the capital and Song Chuyi’s departure from the palace reached Elder Du’s ears simultaneously. Although Old Master Song had already spoken quite explicitly, telling him to look after himself, their entanglement had already run so deep that whether he could extricate himself was not truly up to him. Since the path through the Song family was now blocked, he needed to consider whether other routes might be viable.
Madam Du had previously been turned away at the Song family’s door, humiliated for nothing, and had long been holding in a belly full of anger. Now hearing her husband bring up old matters again, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat irritated: “Do you think I’m unwilling to help you? I know this matter is urgent, but let me say this—you’re not unaware that the Cui family and the Song family breathe through the same nostril. Since the Song family has already taken this attitude, how could the Cui family possibly go against them? Vice Minister Cui is famous for doting on his granddaughter. How would he pay any attention to us or to Prince Gong? In my opinion, you’d best abandon this notion and give up this hope early, and think of other methods that might actually work.”
Elder Du had been on edge for days, unable to set his mind at ease. Now seeing his own wife undermine him like this with such an indifferent attitude, his temper immediately flared: “What the hell do you know?!”
He was a civil official who usually spoke nothing but the words of the sages. In all these decades, no one had ever heard him use such vulgar language. Madam Du’s soaring anger was instantly extinguished. She frowned and changed her tone, complaining aggrievedly: “It’s not that I won’t handle it—it’s truly that Old Madam Song is difficult to deal with, and how could Princess Duanhui be someone easy to talk to? I have no way with either of these two women. Even if you send me, I’ll only end up suffering another round of anger. What’s the point?”
Elder Du was angry, but he still understood reason. Hearing Madam Du speak thus, all the worry pent up in his belly came pouring out: “Even if there’s no way, we must find a way. Prince Gong and we are grasshoppers tied to the same boat. If something happens to him, how could we possibly escape? We still must think of some method.”
Madam Du’s reaction was unusually quick for once. Her eyes rolled as she reminded Elder Du: “What can’t the Imperial Guard investigate? Since they’re saying this matter was done by the remnants of Ma Yuantong’s faction, it means His Majesty has no intention of making a big fuss. If he’s not making a big fuss, naturally he wants to protect his two sons. Prince Gong is of imperial blood and one of His Majesty’s only two legitimate sons. Why would he need us to rack our brains reaching out to help?”
Though the logic was sound, one couldn’t speak of it that way. Elder Du removed his broad official robes and changed into everyday clothes as he spoke with Madam Du: “If the matter is brought to light, the Crown Prince and Prince Gong would naturally be condemned by all. But where would that leave His Majesty’s face? Not bringing it to light doesn’t mean everything is fine either. Look at that girl from the Song family—hasn’t she emerged now, bold as brass?”
If he truly wanted to protect his sons, never mind the Grand Prince—at least he was the Crown Prince’s own son and Emperor Jianzhang’s own grandson. But what was Song the Sixth? She was merely an outsider. By rights, she shouldn’t have been allowed to leave the palace gates—falling ‘ill’ in the palace and never recovering would have been the proper approach if he truly wanted to suppress the matter and protect the Crown Prince and Prince Gong. As things stood, Song Chuyi was perfectly fine, while word from the palace was that the Crown Prince’s condition had worsened, and Prince Gong had fallen ill all the way to the capital. This already indicated Emperor Jianzhang’s attitude.
Madam Du’s hair stood on end at Elder Du’s words. Though she hadn’t been particularly worried before, now she couldn’t help but feel anxious. She stared at Elder Du for a long while before clicking her tongue, her head spinning slightly: “But these two are both His Majesty’s and Her Majesty’s legitimate sons!”
Elder Du couldn’t help but sneer coldly: “But His Majesty also has a legitimate eldest grandson, and that grandson has grown up.”
With just that one sentence, Madam Du had nothing more to say. She gaped at Elder Du: “But he’s still so young—can His Majesty truly feel at ease?”
Elder Du himself was worried too, glancing at her: “If he can’t feel at ease with him, could he possibly feel at ease with the Crown Prince and Prince Gong, who attacked their own son and nephew in order to strike at each other? Moreover, the Grand Prince was always meant to be the future heir apparent.”
Now Madam Du understood completely. She shuddered and said somewhat anxiously: “If that’s how it is, should I still go inquire about the news?”
This time it was Elder Du who shook his head. He sat frozen in his chair for a long while, his gaze moving to Madam Du’s face: “What you said also makes sense. Trying to appeal to the Song and Cui families now is probably futile. Earlier, when matters were still unclear, that old fox Song Chengru wouldn’t reveal half a word or yield an inch. Now that His Majesty clearly intends to compensate the Grand Prince and the Song family, how could they possibly be willing to leak information to you or let you make moves?”
Madam Du lowered her head without speaking for a long while. Only after a considerable time did she heave a heavy sigh: “So that’s it then? We just leave it like this?”
To just leave it like this felt so unwilling. Were they supposed to wait for Prince Gong to suffer disaster and then suffer along with him? After thinking it over, she raised her head to look at Old Master Song: “When I enter the palace this time, should I inquire with Her Majesty the Empress?”
Among the outer-court noblewomen, the wives of these several Elders regularly submitted their name tablets to enter the palace and move about. They also had some standing before Her Majesty the Empress. Moreover, Elder Du had always worked for Prince Gong and had previously been Prince Gong’s teacher—there was still some lingering teacher-student bond.
Since there was no better method now, Elder Du nodded heavily and went to his study. He searched out everything connected to Prince Gong and burned it all to ashes in one fire. Still not feeling at ease, he carefully reviewed all his connections with Prince Gong over the years and didn’t sleep well the entire night.
Madam Du had already submitted her name tablet to the palace long ago, but the Empress had never summoned her. After two days, word came from the Empress’s side that she was well again. Madam Du prepared herself and impatiently entered the palace.
Empress Lu indeed looked like someone just recovered from a serious illness. Even after applying powder, the faint dark circles beneath her eyes were quite obvious. However, her spirits seemed fairly good, and she even asked about Elder Du’s young granddaughter: “Why don’t I see her entering the palace?”
Madam Du’s heart first relaxed—since Empress Lu could still smile, it showed that matters might not be so serious as to be irreparable. She pulled on a smile and conversed with Empress Lu: “She’s like a mischievous monkey. I didn’t dare let her come and disturb Your Majesty’s peace…”
Empress Lu picked through the pine nuts resting in her handkerchief, blew on them lightly, removed the shells, and looked at Madam Du with a smile: “What mischievous monkey? I rather like her forthright and generous manner. Bring her in next time—I would enjoy it.”
Madam Du felt increasingly relaxed. She smiled in agreement and acknowledgment. After observing for a while and seeing that apart from the Empress’s close attendants, no one else was in the hall, she tentatively inquired about Prince Gong: “The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching. Prince Su and Prince Lu returned to the capital to pay their respects to His Majesty and Your Majesty, and are now preparing at home. Why is there no word from Prince Gong?”