Zhang Zhibei knew that Cheng Yuan had controlled a group of martial eunuchs over the years, nominally protecting Cifu Palace but actually serving his own purposes. Fearing he might use these men to resist desperately, before going to Shi’an Garden with Zhenzhen, Zhang Zhibei assembled several Palace Guard Bureau and Imperial City Bureau guards to escort them and prepare to arrest Cheng Yuan.

Arriving at Shi’an Garden’s entrance, they indeed saw many eunuchs standing ready inside and outside the main gate, but rather than blocking them, they all bowed in unison and guided them inside.

The garden was filled with red leaves and various colored chrysanthemums, brilliant and colorful, presenting a magnificent scene. Everything in sight was beautiful as brocade, without the slightest trace of hostility. The guiding eunuch led Zhenzhen, Zhang Zhibei and others around artificial mountains, through bamboo groves, to a spacious building with moveable window frames on all four sides. The eunuch opened the door and bowed as he invited them to enter.

Zhenzhen stepped into the building first and immediately widened her eyes: the floor on both sides was slightly lower, planted with patches of golden lamp flowers blooming like fire, with a small bridge in the center leading to rear corridors.

It was now deep autumn, when golden lamp flowers should have finished blooming, but Cheng Yuan had planted them indoors. The surrounding doors and windows were covered with white cotton paper that let in light while blocking cold air. When warm, the window frames could be moved for ventilation and to bring sunlight inside, thus extending the flowering period to today.

Zhenzhen recalled the scene under the bridge when she bid eternal farewell to Prince Zhuangwen in her dreams after his death, feeling these flowers were as red as blood, unnervingly bewitching.

She blinked, raised her head to look forward, ignored the golden lamp flowers, crossed the bridge and continued ahead.

Through several winding corridors, they reached another building. This time when the eunuch opened the door, a fishy wind hit them in the face, nauseating.

Looking carefully, Zhenzhen discovered a deep pit not far ahead, covered with iron bars forming a net over the opening, though the interior could be seen through gaps. The pit was over two zhang deep, containing rocks, tree trunks and branches, but more densely packed were snakes of various patterns and colors, crawling and entwining everywhere, spine-chilling to behold.

Outside the deep pit were tables and chairs. Cheng Yuan sat in a chair and, seeing Zhenzhen and others enter, slowly stood up and bowed to them.

Zhang Zhibei returned the courtesy, asking elegantly: “Does Master Cheng know why we’ve come?”

Cheng Yuan smiled: “I do.”

Zhenzhen realized that with so many eunuchs under his command, he had extensive ears and eyes, so someone had likely already informed him of events in both palaces.

Zhang Zhibei also smiled then, praising Cheng Yuan: “Since you already know yet remain so composed, what excellent bearing.”

Cheng Yuan replied: “Since you were able to come here, the Empress Dowager has clearly abandoned me. Things being as they are, why resist? Better to open the door and invite you in. I’ll answer any questions candidly and make it easier for you both to execute your duties and return to report.”

Zhang Zhibei thanked him politely, while Zhenzhen asked directly: “Where is Lady Ju?”

“No rush, let’s talk first,” Cheng Yuan said gently. “I’ll take you to see her shortly.”

He invited them to sit down, leisurely lit incense, then sat down to prepare tea. Zhang Zhibei repeatedly asked about his connection to the poisoning of Prince Zhuangwen, Fourth Prince, and the Crown Princess, and whether he had antidotes. He always replied: “If my guess is correct, Liu Jieyu or Lady Yu will come to testify. Why not wait for them to arrive and clarify everything together?”

Shortly after, guards escorted Lady Yu there. Only then did Cheng Yuan slowly rise, bowing to Lady Yu: “Lady Chunrong, I pay my respects.”

Lady Yu stared at him, clearly surprised that he called out her maiden name, which she’d never revealed to palace people.

Cheng Yuan smiled slightly, sat back down, and began explaining to Zhenzhen and others: “After Lady Ju and I became husband and wife, we talked more with each other. I mentioned to her that Liu Jieyu could also perform Liangzhou dance, with several movements identical to those Lady Ju performed years ago – I’d never seen anyone else do them. Lady Ju asked which movements, and after I described them, she told me these were choreographed by herself and she’d only taught one disciple, so only that female student should know them. I thought, given her age, Liu Jieyu couldn’t be that student, so I asked if the student’s surname was Yu. She said no, it was Yu, or perhaps Qi.”

Hearing this, Zhenzhen turned to look at Lady Yu, whose breathing grew rapid and emotions began stirring.

“She then told me about that Lady Yu’s background,” Cheng Yuan continued. “Grand Tutor Qi feared his wife, so he secretly took a concubine outside but dared not bring her home, keeping her elsewhere. This concubine surnamed Yu later bore Grand Tutor Qi a daughter named Chunrong, but Chunrong never dared publicly acknowledge Grand Tutor Qi as her father, claiming the surname Yu to outsiders. When Chunrong grew to seventeen or eighteen, Grand Tutor Qi saw her exceptional beauty and dancing skills from childhood, so he planned to cultivate her to eventually send to the late emperor as a consort. Seeing the late emperor’s favor for Lady Ju, he repeatedly brought Lady Ju to his outer residence under the pretext of teaching dancing to household performers, asking Lady Ju to teach Chunrong dance. Lady Ju saw through Grand Tutor Qi’s intentions at a glance, but since the late emperor sent her, she went. She had that confidence, believing this girl posed no threat to her. Chunrong studied very hard, practicing day and night. To ordinary people she already danced very well, but both Lady Ju and she knew she could never reach Lady Ju’s level. Once, while practicing the most difficult movements in Liangzhou dance, she injured her waist. Lady Ju then told her frankly that with any skill, serious study could achieve competence, but reaching the pinnacle beyond ordinary people’s reach required talent. Chunrong lacked this talent.”

Hearing this, Lady Yu couldn’t help but show a cold smile.

Cheng Yuan glanced at her and asked: “Since dancing didn’t work out, Grand Tutor Qi later had you learn cooking, didn’t he?”

“Correct. He had Director Liu teach me. I still applied myself wholeheartedly to learning. The food I made looked similar to Director Liu’s, but after father tasted it, he still said it was just a little bit off, but that little bit was the soul of the entire dish.” Lady Yu smiled bitterly, a flash of resentment in her eyes. “Disappointed in me, father ruthlessly scolded and mocked me, saying my appearance and dancing couldn’t match Lady Ju’s, my cooking couldn’t equal Director Liu’s – how could I attract His Majesty’s attention? He blamed me for not trying hard enough, for being lazy, so I could never learn anything to perfection and was completely useless to him. But I knew I had truly given my all. Perhaps my inability to meet his requirements really was due to lacking that bit of talent…”

Listening from the side, Zhenzhen thought of a question: “If you’re Qi Xin’s daughter, how did you later become Qi Xi’s concubine, calling him husband?”

Zhang Zhibei first explained: “Qi Xi was Qi Xin’s adopted son. Qi Xin’s wife Lady Wang bore no children, so she adopted her brother-in-law’s son by an outside woman, renaming him Qi Xi. So though Qi Xi and Lady Yu were nominally siblings, they weren’t blood relatives.”

Cheng Yuan also added: “Reportedly Qi Xi was ordered by Qi Xin to secretly care for Qi Xin’s outside concubine without Lady Wang’s knowledge. Perhaps through frequent contact with Lady Yu, feelings developed over time.”

Hearing them mention Qi Xi, Lady Yu looked dejected and sad. After a moment of silence, she slowly said: “When I practiced cooking daily without progress and suffered father’s constant blame, it was my elder brother who often came to visit, encourage, and comfort me. He liked whatever food I made for him, always saying it was delicious… In short, unlike father, in his eyes my appearance was good, my dancing was good, my cooking was good – everything was good… We were both young then, mutually infatuated, so we secretly came together. Later father found out and was furious, saying I was no longer pure, completely losing hope of entering the palace – what use was I… He wanted me dead but wouldn’t do it himself, instead telling his legitimate wife where my mother and I lived. As a result, Lady Wang sent people who beat my mother to death. I was also beaten black and blue all over – if Qi Xi hadn’t arrived to stop the attackers, I wouldn’t have survived… Later, to avoid Lady Wang’s persecution, I fled Lin’an for Ningguo Prefecture, settled in a tavern, and lived peacefully for a while, healing my injuries.”

Zhenzhen had found the name “Chunrong” familiar but couldn’t remember where she’d heard it. Hearing Lady Yu mention Ningguo Prefecture and a tavern, she suddenly understood: “So you’re the Chunrong that Grandmother Song mentioned!”

“You know her?” Lady Yu frowned and asked back.

“She’s become my grandmother now,” Zhenzhen said. “And her real granddaughter was kidnapped by you, wasn’t she?”

Lady Yu didn’t answer directly but laughed “hehe” for a moment before saying: “I studied cooking with Lady Song Third. Unlike Director Liu’s tactful speech, when she saw I wasn’t learning well she spoke directly, even scolded me, and like Lady Ju said I lacked talent… Talent, this word was like a curse haunting and harming my entire life… Lady Song Third often had me help care for her granddaughter Taozheng. I saw that little girl was like carved jade, extremely beautiful and very clever. Hearing music she would sway and dance, dancing better than many older children who studied deliberately… One day, staring at her for a long time, I suddenly thought, this is so-called talent, and since she’s Lady Song Third’s granddaughter, she also has culinary talent.”

“This is why you kidnapped Taozheng?” Zhenzhen scolded. “Do you know your momentary thought caused Grandmother Song’s family destruction and days like years in pain?”

“Pain? Who isn’t suffering? Everyone has their own pain, their own tribulation – hers just happened to be me,” Lady Yu said indifferently. “That granddaughter of hers, staying by her side, would have grown up to be just an ordinary village girl. I brought Taozheng to the capital, cultivated her to be outstanding and perfect, sent her to the palace to enjoy half a lifetime of glory – that’s worthy of her.”

“The little girl you kidnapped is Liu Jieyu, isn’t she?” Zhang Zhibei also understood now. “Since you’re Qi Xin’s daughter, scheming to send Liu Jieyu into the palace, your purpose couldn’t be as simple as pursuing wealth and glory.”

“I wanted her to accomplish what I couldn’t,” Lady Yu said. “I brought her back to Lin’an, knelt before father begging his forgiveness, saying though I had no hope of entering the palace, I was confident I could cultivate this girl well and eventually send her to the palace. Though father said he’d long given up on this and no longer counted on me, he did forgive me, had Qi Xi care for me well, and didn’t let Lady Wang bully me anymore. Qi Xi had Taozheng call him father and treated her like his own daughter. Taozheng also quickly forgot past events and accepted us as parents. I lived good years with Taozheng in Qi Xi’s separate residence until father was killed by Zhang Yunqiao, Lin Yu and the current emperor’s scheme, Qi Xi was forced to retire, and soon died of grief and anger. On his deathbed he instructed close relatives to avenge his father and son. Seeing him pass away, I felt the sky had collapsed, but after crying I actually rallied and decided to avenge them.”

Zhenzhen asked: “How do you know someone schemed in Qi Xin’s death?”

Lady Yu sneered: “With my father’s intelligence, how would he not place his own people beside princes? Though the prince succeeded in his plot, he inevitably let slip some information in his later pride, and those around him told us after learning of it.”

“That person was Wang Muze, wasn’t it?” Zhang Zhibei interjected.

Lady Yu didn’t answer but seemed to acknowledge it. Zhenzhen recalled that after Wang Muze’s rumor-mongering against Consort Li was exposed, he fled to Phoenix Mountain and hanged himself. Now it seemed his destination was quite close to Furong Pavilion – he probably informed Lady Yu and Liu Jieyu before dying.

Zhenzhen had now clarified all causes and effects, telling Lady Yu: “Later, to conceal your background and send Liu Jieyu to the palace, you needed a safe identity, so relatives of His Majesty’s allies were most suitable.”

“Yes,” Lady Yu admitted frankly. “I learned Lin Yu had a cousin who married into Yazhou, so I took Taozheng there seeking them and was taken in by their family. Originally I only wanted Taozheng to win the couple’s affection and ask them to adopt her, thus gaining the Liu family daughter’s identity for palace selection. Unexpectedly heaven sent a plague that helped me even more… After the Liu couple and daughter Luowei died, I effortlessly found Luowei’s birth record and the Liu family register. Taking these documents to find Lin Yu’s widow at Wuyi Mountain, I easily stayed with the Lin family. I carefully taught Taozheng, and she was very promising, growing up like a fairy, dancing as well as Lady Ju, cooking as deliciously as Director Liu. Winning His Majesty’s favor was naturally inevitable.”

She smiled contentedly then, obviously quite satisfied with her plan’s smooth implementation.

“Cooking…” Zhenzhen suddenly thought of Director Pei and asked: “Then His Majesty’s food had to be tasted first by Director Pei for flavor and poison testing, and harem consorts’ food offerings also required her approval. Later when Director Pei’s taste deteriorated, with His Majesty’s tacit consent, Liu Jieyu had opportunities to frequently prepare food for His Majesty, bypassing Director Pei. So Director Pei’s taste loss, looking at it now, wasn’t necessarily just due to age – you probably did something too?”

Lady Yu said casually: “She was old and often had headaches, fever, backaches and such ailments. She went to Imperial Physician Zhou Zhiqi for medicine, not knowing Physician Zhou was our man. Adding two ingredients to her medicine to accelerate taste deterioration wasn’t difficult.”

Zhenzhen asked: “When Director Pei’s taste deteriorated after taking medicine, didn’t she become suspicious?”

Lady Yu replied: “We added it gradually bit by bit. She probably thought it was age-related changes and could hardly notice.”

Zhang Zhibei interjected: “Later when Director Pei was implicated in Prince Zhuangwen’s matter, someone anonymously reported her taste loss – that was also your doing?”

Lady Yu didn’t deny it: “Actually His Majesty already knew her taste was problematic but kept her out of consideration for old feelings. If we didn’t use that opportunity to completely remove her, when else?”

Zhenzhen suppressed her fury, mentally adding this crime to Lady Yu’s account for His Majesty’s reckoning, then asked again: “Your revenge – did it mean murdering His Majesty or the princes?”

“Initially I planned to have Taozheng poison His Majesty’s food after gaining favor. But Taozheng said suddenly poisoning would be too obvious – even if successful, since His Majesty died from food we prepared, we couldn’t survive either. Better to first secure favor, wait until His Majesty was completely unguarded, then poison him little by little daily. This way when poison took effect, others would think he died of illness and wouldn’t realize I did it. Later when His Majesty exclusively favored her, she had every opportunity to slowly poison him, but refused to do it, telling me that if His Majesty died she’d be sent from the palace to become a nun, and we’d live difficult lives thereafter. Better to wait until she bore a prince, so after His Majesty’s death she could continue living in wealth and honor as the prince’s mother. Still later, after bearing both princess and prince, I asked when she’d act. She said since she had a prince, why not try to make him crown prince first to inherit the throne in future – then the whole realm would be ours… I understood she kept delaying because she couldn’t bear to poison His Majesty. Though dissatisfied, I felt her words weren’t unreasonable. If her child became crown prince and future emperor, it would mean I held the entire country in my grasp – something my father and husband never achieved…”

Zhang Zhibei couldn’t help striking the table, scolding: “You two poisonous women dared harbor such wolfish ambitions, plotting to assassinate the emperor and usurp the state!”

“I was always the one wanting to kill the emperor. Taozheng felt His Majesty treated her well and inevitably developed feelings, so she never wanted to act,” Lady Yu explained flatly. “I hope the Director will later tell His Majesty this. If you find the Noble Consort, I hope His Majesty will remember her affection for him and spare her life. This is why I’m completely honest with you today.”

Zhang Zhibei remained noncommittal. Zhenzhen continued questioning: “Having decided to support Fourth Prince as heir, his three elder brothers all became obstacles you needed to eliminate, so you started with Prince Zhuangwen. The poisoned mushrooms were your doing, weren’t they?”

“The idea was mine, but Cheng Yuan had people do the poisoning,” Lady Yu sneered at Cheng Yuan. “Cheng Yuan had already detected Prince Zhuangwen investigating his secret keeping of Lady Ju and was sitting on pins and needles, restless and anxious. With a little persuasion from me, he agreed.”

Zhang Zhibei glanced at Cheng Yuan, sighing quietly: “Foolish! Though secretly keeping a palace woman is a grave crime, if you sought the Empress Dowager’s understanding or asked His Majesty to consider your years of devotion to Lady Ju and grant formal marriage, it wasn’t entirely hopeless.”

“Impossible. Once Wu Zhenzhen knew Lady Ju was with me, she would definitely ask Prince Zhuangwen to rescue her somehow, and neither the Empress Dowager nor His Majesty could stop her,” Cheng Yuan said calmly. “And Prince Zhuangwen would certainly do it for her. Lady Ju and I would be separated forever.”

He looked up at Zhenzhen: “I’m sorry, I couldn’t bear separation from Ju An.”

Zhenzhen was extremely angry, secretly clenching her fists to control her emotions, yet her body couldn’t stop trembling: “So you didn’t hesitate to poison Prince Zhuangwen!”

Cheng Yuan smiled sadly: “You know, if you hadn’t kept thinking about finding your mother, how wonderful it would have been? Then Lady Ju and I, you and Prince Zhuangwen, would all be together forever.”

Instant fury and sorrow surged like a river. Zhenzhen felt black clouds rising before her eyes again, nearly fainting, when Zhang Zhibei slightly bowed to her, raising his voice somewhat to remind: “Director, the case isn’t yet clear – please continue investigating.”

Zhenzhen immediately realized her current position. As Director of Palace Administration, she should indeed enforce the law impartially and handle matters calmly, not be swayed by emotions. So she straightened up, recovered her calm expression, and continued questioning Cheng Yuan: “The snake venom on the pearl ornament glue that Liu Jieyu gave the current Crown Princess – did you provide it to her?”

“Yes,” Cheng Yuan said. “Lady Yu came asking for snake venom, carefully inquiring about the dosage needed to kill someone. I guessed she wanted to poison Prince Zhuangwen and advised that such poisoning was too obvious and hard to conceal. She said the Noble Consort had a clever plan that wouldn’t be discovered… Finally I gave her snake venom and corresponding antidotes, telling her if she regretted after poisoning, she could use the antidotes. Seven pills could save one adult man. Later… obviously they didn’t use the antidotes.”

Zhenzhen angrily turned to Lady Yu. If gazes could become arrows, Lady Yu would have been pierced with countless wounds, yet Lady Yu showed no fear and actually smiled challengingly at Zhenzhen: “Didn’t you want antidotes? Now you can ask Cheng Yuan for them.”

“I’ve used up the antidotes, though I know how to prepare them – it’s just somewhat troublesome…” Cheng Yuan said to Lady Yu. “Want to know? I heard Fourth Prince has been poisoned and fainted. Speaking of which, you and he should have some grandparent-grandchild affection. Why not personally bring some antidotes to him?”

He walked to the center of the iron net over the snake pit, where there was a square opening used for feeding, with an openable cover. Cheng Yuan kicked open the square cover with his foot, looked down, then beckoned Lady Yu over: “The antidotes are herbs that coexist with snakes. Look, several plants grow in the pit.”

Hearing this, Lady Yu came to look. Just as she reached the opening’s edge, Cheng Yuan suddenly embraced her, stuffed her through the square opening, and released his hands. Lady Yu immediately fell into the snake pit.

In an instant countless snakes converged, coiling around Lady Yu and biting. Lady Yu struggled desperately, shrieking terribly, each scream louder than the last, but to no avail – more and more snakes covered her body.

Zhang Zhibei and Zhenzhen changed color at the sight, both taking steps toward the snake pit to look down. Zhang Zhibei hesitated, then gestured to the guards behind him, wanting them to rescue Lady Yu. Seeing this, Cheng Yuan said: “She’s been bitten by so many venomous snakes – pulling her up won’t save her. Why make the guards take such risks?”

Zhang Zhibei fell silent.

Cheng Yuan continued: “She poisoned Prince Zhuangwen and plotted to usurp the state – she deserved this. However, her matter involves the Qi family. His Majesty might not want to publicly hand her to the Censorate, Court of Judicial Review, or Ministry of Justice for trial – most likely just a cup of poisoned wine to end it. Wouldn’t that be letting her off easy? This kind of punishment would probably seem more fitting to His Majesty.”

Zhenzhen asked: “You personally executed Lady Yu to seek credit with His Majesty and ask for lenient treatment?”

“No, because I hate her,” Cheng Yuan said flatly. “I actually didn’t want to commit treason… What I wanted was always just Ju An.”

Zhang Zhibei pressed him about whether he still had antidotes. He replied: “No more. Even preparing new antidotes won’t be in time to save Fourth Prince. Besides, forgive my directness, but this child has countless connections to the Qi family, and his birth mother committed treason. He won’t have a good outcome. If he grows up harboring resentment, will he continue this cycle of hatred? Dying now to pay his mother’s karmic debt might not be bad.”

Zhang Zhibei fell silent.

Seeing Zhenzhen speechless, Cheng Yuan actually smiled at her, saying gently: “Come, I’ll take you to see Ju An.”

Lady Yu’s screams gradually weakened. Zhang Zhibei left several guards, ordering them to later find snake keepers to retrieve Lady Yu’s corpse, then followed Cheng Yuan with Zhenzhen toward the artificial mountain made of piled rocks outside.

The door of the small building on the mountain was open. With evening falling, several palace candles had been lit inside. Qiuniang sat serenely in this pool of warm candlelight, quietly waiting for their arrival.

Seeing Zhenzhen, Qiuniang’s eyes showed joy as she rose and walked to her daughter, smiling: “Zhenzhen, I finally waited for you.”

Zhenzhen secretly exerted all her strength to suppress the impulse to embrace her mother and cry bitterly, only smiling at her through tears, momentarily speechless.

Zhang Zhibei stepped forward timely, bowing to Qiuniang and introducing Zhenzhen: “Lady Ju, this is the Director of Palace Administration just appointed by His Majesty today. She came with me to escort you back to the palace.”

Qiuniang immediately understood, adjusting the hairpins by her temples, and formally bowed to Zhenzhen: “Commoner Ju An pays respects to the Director of Palace Administration.”

Zhenzhen controlled her current heartache, merely raising her hand to assist, saying: “No need for ceremony.”

Qiuniang raised her head, maintaining a slight smile, and gazed wordlessly at Zhenzhen.

“Take Ju An back,” Cheng Yuan said to Zhang Zhibei from behind Qiuniang. “I ask Director Zhang and the Director to wait with Ju An at the foot of the mountain briefly while I organize the building’s belongings, then return to the palace with you.”

Zhang Zhibei said: “The palace has everything – why does Master Cheng need to bring luggage?”

Cheng Yuan replied: “I’m a nostalgic person, accustomed to old things, and want to organize them to bring along. I hope Director Zhang will allow me to maintain this bit of dignity.”

Zhang Zhibei considered briefly, finally nodding, and left down the mountain with Zhenzhen and Qiuniang first. As Zhenzhen turned, Cheng Yuan called to her, slightly avoiding Zhang Zhibei and Qiuniang to whisper to Zhenzhen: “Your mother married me out of necessity. To save you, she actively proposed a deal – if I rescued you from Jujing Garden and sent you to safety, she would marry me. So on that stormy night at Jujing Garden, I sent people by boat to rescue you.”

Zhenzhen stared at him, then glanced at Qiuniang. Beyond shock, she felt indescribable sorrow and heartbreak, yet at this moment could only struggle to maintain the Director’s dignity, strictly forbidding any emotional display.

“Treat her well,” Cheng Yuan instructed. “Only you can protect her from now on… Remember, whatever she did was out of love for you.”

After Zhenzhen’s party departed, Cheng Yuan alone closed the small building’s door, slowly went to find fine wine stored in the building, opened a wine jar and took a sip, then splashed the liquid everywhere and poured the remaining half jar entirely over himself. Finally he kicked over the nearby candlestick. The several palace candles on the candlestick immediately ignited the wine and building curtains, spreading to Cheng Yuan himself. Fierce flames rolled and surged, instantly consuming him.