Su Xue saw the Emperor approach, the five-clawed golden dragons on his outer robe appearing fierce. She dared to raise her eyes and saw the Emperor’s face gradually becoming clear from the shadows. Under his jet-black long eyebrows, his eyes looked down at her coldly, with a hint of mockery.
Su Xue knocked her head on the ground several more times. “May Your Majesty see clearly! May Your Majesty see clearly! It was Tao Jia from Concubine Rou’s side who gave the Zhuxi incense to this servant!”
“Tao Jia? Since Tao Jia has already left the palace, you think there’s no way to verify? Or perhaps you mean to say that Concubine Rou sent her away because she feared this matter would be exposed?”
Su Xue’s scalp instantly went numb as he hit the mark. A drop of cold sweat slid down from her temple as she prostrated herself on the ground. “This servant has not spoken a single false word!”
Xiaoyan couldn’t help but laugh. “Zhuxi incense is a forbidden substance in the palace. Those who inhale it for extended periods will find their illnesses difficult to cure. Very few in the harem have access to such incense.”
Su Xue buried her head in silence. She heard him say: “I’ll ask you one more time. Who gave you this incense? Concubine Duan, Concubine Jing, Concubine Liu, Consort Wang, Consort Gong…”
Su Xue suppressed her trembling body and clenched her teeth.
“What did this person promise you? Glory and wealth for your entire family? Immunity from death? You may remain silent today, but it doesn’t matter. I will interrogate your relatives and friends. What isn’t known today may be revealed tomorrow. You keep silent for this person now, but in the end, your entire clan may bear the punishment.”
At this moment, the last rays of sunset finally disappeared, leaving Jianjia Palace in darkness. Su Xue raised her head but could no longer see the Emperor’s face. She prostrated herself on the ground and closed her eyes. “It was indeed Tao Jia from Concubine Rou’s side who gave this incense to this servant.”
Only a sigh was heard. “Take this person away and send her to the Palace Administration Department for investigation.”
After everyone had left, Eunuch Gao brought a candlestick. In the light, he carefully observed the Emperor’s expression and saw no sign of anger.
He heard the Emperor say calmly: “Come with me to see Concubine Zhao.”
Eunuch Gao acknowledged and followed half a step behind with the candle as they entered the bedchamber.
When Concubine Zhao saw them, she immediately half-rose. “Greetings to Your Majesty.”
Xiaoyan walked to the bedside and studied her expression for a moment before slowly saying: “Concubine Zhao has been frightened today. Your maid has been sent to the Palace Administration Department. I will also have people remove all harmful substances from the palace. From now on, you should focus on recovering.”
Zhao Wan seemed slightly dazed. “Is it… Su Xue?”
“You need not concern yourself with this matter. New servants will come to Jianjia Palace tomorrow.”
Zhao Wan looked up and saw his expression was normal, seeming unconcerned. “Your Majesty, do you know who instructed Su Xue?”
“Su Xue hasn’t confessed, but I will find out. You should rest for a few days. The Three Departments’ investigation into Zhao Jie’s case may conclude soon.”
Hearing this, Zhao Wan’s eyes suddenly brightened. She eagerly asked: “Does Your Majesty speak truly?”
Xiaoyan smiled slightly. “Why are you so surprised? You used yourself as bait—wasn’t it to draw out the person behind all this? Now that things have progressed naturally, I should congratulate you.”
Zhao Wan’s face froze. After several breaths, she suddenly laughed. “Is this how Your Majesty sees me?”
Xiaoyan shook his head. “No, I underestimated you. Your determination to be so hard on yourself reminds me of someone…”
Zhao Wan looked at Xiaoyan with confusion, but he only said: “Rest well. I will come to see you another day.”
As he left, Zhao Wan clutched the silk covers half-draped over her body. Feelings of both relief and dissatisfaction surged in her heart.
Xiaoyan had seen through her all along yet allowed her to proceed, which could only mean he truly didn’t care whether she lived or died.
After 7 p.m., Gu Yi had finished her evening meal but still felt anxious. She was about to send Duo Luo to find Eunuch Gao for news when outside the hall came the announcement: “His Majesty arrives!”
She immediately jumped up from her chair in the flower hall and ran outside to welcome him.
Xiaoyan saw Gu Yi hurry before him and bow. “Greetings to Your Majesty.”
He was momentarily stunned. “Rise.”
Seeing his good mood, Gu Yi smiled broadly. “This concubine has prepared some newly arrived bamboo leaf tea in the hall. Would Your Majesty like to try it?”
Xiaoyan suddenly realized—such enthusiasm must have an ulterior motive.
“Concubine Rou, were you waiting for me tonight?”
Gu Yi smiled. “Your Majesty is perceptive. This concubine has been waiting eagerly, like looking forward to the stars and moon.”
Xiaoyan walked into the main hall. Behind him, Eunuch Gao gave Gu Yi an approving look.
After the new tea was served, Gu Yi desperately tried to think of a natural way to introduce the topic without seeming too abrupt. However, Xiaoyan spoke first: “Is Concubine Rou concerned about Concubine Zhao? You seem so restless.”
Gu Yi naturally understood the sarcasm in his words. She poured him more tea. “If so, would Your Majesty tell me about it? Concubine Zhao looked so pitiful today.” Truly, if she weren’t the female protagonist, an ordinary person with such a sickly appearance would probably be near death.
Xiaoyan saw her eager expression and took a sip of tea before speaking slowly: “Concubine Zhao should be fine. Her maid Su Xue used Zhuxi incense secretly and has been sent to the Palace Administration Department for investigation. With proper care, Concubine Zhao should recover within a month.”
Su Xue—Gu Yi wasn’t surprised. In the original book, Zhao Wan’s maid had always been loyal to her. It was Xiuhe, who had followed her since Wushan Villa. This time, because they hadn’t gone to Wushan Villa, Su Xue had come to Zhao Wan’s side instead.
“Did Su Xue confess?” Gu Yi asked curiously.
Xiaoyan avoided her gaze, lowering his eyes to look at the white porcelain cup in his hand. “There was no confession today.”
Seeing his evasiveness, Gu Yi found it strange and leaned forward to ask: “Could it be that Su Xue… implicated me?” Seeing Xiaoyan not answering, she immediately continued, “This concubine did not do it. All this time, today was the first time I visited her while ill. Though I’ve been to Jianjia Palace once before, we rarely interact!”
Xiaoyan glanced at her sideways and said irritably: “Do you even know what Zhuxi incense is?”
Gu Yi asked herself honestly—she truly didn’t know, but she felt offended by his attitude.
“This concubine truly knows nothing about it,” she said with a forced smile.
Xiaoyan laughed. “I don’t suspect you. You don’t need to defend yourself.”
Gu Yi relaxed, and then heard him say: “I saw Zhuxi incense when I was eight years old. This incense appears no different from ordinary incense, but if someone is ill and smells it occasionally, they cannot sleep at night, and their illness becomes difficult to cure.”
Gu Yi kept her eyes fixed on him, seeing his calm expression as if he were just making casual conversation.
Thinking carefully, before Xiaoyan ascended the throne, he truly embodied beauty, strength, and tragedy all in one.
Knowing he didn’t want to discuss it further, Gu Yi changed the subject and joked: “If it were me who did it, what would Your Majesty do?”
Xiaoyan recalled his feelings when he first heard Su Xue implicate Gu Yi. He should have been displeased, but he wasn’t. Instead, a secret joy had suddenly arisen in his heart.
Joy born from the thought that for his sake, Gu Yi would use any means necessary, regardless of consequences.
“If it were so, I would find a way to cover for you.”
Gu Yi’s heart beat faster for a moment. She raised her teacup and took a sip of hot tea, then asked: “Has Your Majesty already guessed who it is?”
Xiaoyan saw her flushed cheeks and asked with a smile: “Do you have someone in mind?”
Gu Yi thought for a moment and said softly: “This concubine guesses it’s Concubine Duan.”
Xiaoyan’s eyebrow raised slightly. “Why do you think so?”
Gu Yi boldly answered: “This concubine thinks Zhuxi incense must be difficult to obtain. Concubines, Consorts, and Imperial Consorts might try it, but placing a palace maid shows it was planned long ago. Consort Wang and Consort Gong are unlikely…” She laughed to herself. “But this is just my wild guess, a joke.”
Xiaoyan said: “I also suspect Concubine Duan.”
Gu Yi grew excited. “Why do you think so?”
“Years ago, when the Late Emperor was on the throne, Empress Dowager Gao held polo matches in the palace every year. After the Crown Prince came of age, she widely invited noble ladies from the capital to participate. I was small then and didn’t watch the games, but I remember that for several years, the Bai family always won first place. Unfortunately, due to their family background, this Bai girl couldn’t become the Crown Prince’s wife. The Crown Prince had no intention of establishing a primary or secondary consort at that time, so the matter was dropped.”
Gu Yi took a deep breath. Concubine Duan’s surname was Bai! This game of palace power was something she had never understood, and the book never mentioned it!
Thinking it through, she suddenly realized: “Your Majesty means that during last year’s polo match in the Imperial Garden, Concubine Duan deliberately hid her skills, wanting to use Concubine De to eliminate Zhao Wan?”
Ah, in the end, the experts didn’t want to play with them, and Xiaoyan had suspected Concubine Duan from so early on.
Indeed, she couldn’t match them in cunning. She had to admit defeat.
Xiaoyan smiled at her. “What I said was also just a wild guess, a joke. We must wait for the Palace Administration Department’s verification before reaching any conclusions.”
Gu Yi: …
Ten days later, the Palace Administration Department had yet to conclude, but Bai Qingdao, the former Left Cheng of the Court of Judicial Review, voluntarily confessed that years ago, when investigating Zhao Jie’s case, he had overlooked many details. Under the instructions of Empress Dowager Gao, he had burned a letter, which, according to his recollection, was sent by Zhao Jie’s tutor to Crown Prince Heng. The letter earnestly advised him to “honor the relationship between ruler and subject, and strengthen the bond between father and son.” The entire court was shocked.
Viewed through this letter, Crown Prince Heng’s disloyalty was evident, but Bai Qingdao had no evidence and couldn’t convince everyone. However, combined with the earlier testimony of the Zhao family’s old servant Zhao Jiu, Zhao Jie’s case gradually changed from sudden illness and death to possibly Crown Prince Heng harboring treasonous thoughts and secretly harming a loyal official.
At this time, the Zhao family descendant, Concubine Zhao, knelt for a long time before Tianlu Pavilion, tearfully pleading for the current Emperor to clear her father Zhao Jie’s name and restore justice.
The Emperor, upon hearing this, thought of his father and brother, felt conflicted, and secretly shed tears.
Scholars who admired the tutor’s integrity submitted memorials requesting that Zhao Jie’s name be cleared.
Some scholars even speculated that since Crown Prince Heng already had treasonous thoughts, killing his tutor, he might have also killed the Late Emperor.
The current Emperor’s pardon of the false Emperor Prince Shen was already a sign of his benevolence, and the accusation of patricide was to preserve the imperial family’s dignity—a wrongful accusation!
Though such voices hadn’t gained momentum, they spread by word of mouth among the common people due to their shocking content.
The tale of the Crown Prince plotting treason, usurping the throne, and killing his father became a topic of conversation.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor couldn’t bear to listen, was grief-stricken, and suspended court for ten days.
Concubine Duan, due to her father Bai Qingdao’s failure, felt she no longer had the face to serve the Emperor and requested to leave the palace.
*
On this day, the sky was clear and bright, with neither wind nor rain.
Gu Yi went to the racetrack as usual to ride for a few laps. After leaving the Imperial Garden racetrack, she saw a blue cloth carriage parked at the end of the stone path.
The maid beside the carriage saw her and hurried over, curtseying: “Concubine Duan is leaving the palace today and has just encountered Concubine Rou. Would you be willing to speak with her one last time?”
Gu Yi handed her riding crop to Duo Luo. “Wait here. I’ll be back soon.”
As she approached the carriage, Concubine Duan lifted the curtain. Gu Yi saw that she wore no pearl hairpins and had only applied a light layer of makeup.
“My Lady, why did you summon me?”
Concubine Duan laughed softly: “Why are you always so guarded against me? I’ve shown goodwill several times. When you moved residences, my gifts were the most generous, but you ignored them all. Today, as I’m about to leave the palace, I’m curious about this and wanted to ask.”
Gu Yi smiled slightly: “Why did My Lady show goodwill?”
Concubine Duan shook her head gently. “I misjudged you. I thought you had ambition, but you’re just a block of wood.”
Gu Yi nodded. “I am indeed more foolish than My Lady. My Lady went to great lengths to protect her father and brothers. Though you didn’t get what you wanted, in the end, you cut off the tail to save yourself—Bai Qingdao alone was exiled, preserving your entire clan’s lives. However… I have a question I’d like My Lady to answer.”
Concubine Duan lowered her eyes to look at Gu Yi, showing surprise. “Ask away.”
“Did My Lady know Concubine Zhao’s background when she was still at Huan Yi Ju?”
Concubine Duan didn’t answer but asked: “Why do you say that?”
“It’s a coincidence, but I once saw a maid from Huan Yi Ju outside the workshop. I didn’t think much of it, but then I saw her behind My Lady the other time.” Gu Yi thought for a moment. “I believe her name was Chu Tong…”
Concubine Duan frowned. Gu Yi continued: “Later, I thought that perhaps when I first met Concubine Zhao, her jade bracelet falling wasn’t a coincidence.” She raised her eyes to stare at Concubine Duan. “Did My Lady originally want to use me to eliminate Concubine Zhao…”
Concubine Duan didn’t answer, only sighed. “I’m leaving today, and we likely won’t meet again. Let me share some heartfelt words with Concubine Rou. You may not regret it now, but you may not be so certain in the future. The Zhao family has neither power nor influence, only a reputation for filial piety and virtue. The higher Zhao Jie is elevated, the higher Zhao Wan will rise alongside him. With Qi Shu gone from the palace, no one can compete with her.” She looked steadily at Gu Yi. “There is a distinction between wife and concubine. Concubine Rou, do not regret…” Having said this, she lowered the curtain.
The coachman cracked his whip, urging the horses forward as the carriage headed toward the palace gate.