The curved-canopy carriage shared by Wei Shubin and Chai Yinglu had clear windows on its sides, covered with semi-transparent curtains. Those inside could vaguely see outside, while outsiders could hardly peek in. When Minister Wei Zheng’s voice came from outside the carriage window, the runaway Wei Shubin trembled in fright, shrinking against the window panel, wishing she could curl up like a gecko.

Chai Yinglu shot her a glance, then lifted a corner of the window curtain, extending her face halfway out to respond:

“Greetings, Minister Wei.”

Wei Zheng seemed to have ridden around on horseback to wait here after leaving the South Palace Gate:

“I have received an imperial decree to investigate Lady Linfen’s case. I need to inspect the scene at Ganye Temple and question relevant persons. The restricted areas of the temple make this inconvenient – I request the Venerable Master’s assistance in this matter.”

Ganye Temple housed only women, including noble ladies such as royal consorts and county ladies. It would be highly inappropriate for Minister Wei to question them as if they were criminal suspects. Since Chai Yinglu held the position of deputy investigator, it was natural for her to assist in this matter, but… what about Wei Shubin? Should she go along? If she showed her face, wouldn’t her father catch her and beat her half to death?

Even if she didn’t show herself, Wei Zheng wouldn’t forget to ask Chai Yinglu about his daughter. Sure enough, after the Daoist priestess agreed to go to Ganye Temple, the cold voice outside the carriage window asked again:

“Might my daughter still be detained in Ganye Temple? After a night away, has that spoiled, unfilial girl come to her senses?”

These words made Wei Shubin want to cry. Chai Yinglu didn’t glance inside the carriage at all, maintaining her bright face with a flowery smile:

“Minister Wei is too modest. The Empress received your daughter this morning and praised her for being well-mannered and sensible! Miss Fen also expressed her wish to stay at Zixu Temple to pray for her mother’s blessings and help me compile medical texts. The Empress approved all this and has already sent people to escort Miss Fen back to Zixu Temple.”

…Did this count as falsely conveying imperial orders and lying to one’s face?

Wei Shubin had indeed petitioned the Empress in Lizheng Hall to study medicine at Zixu Temple, but the Empress’s response could hardly be called “approval” – in fact, she had only said to Chai Yinglu, “Handle these matters yourself, just don’t cause trouble.” The Daoist priestess was now wielding this like an imperial decree, regardless of whether it made sense or if Minister Wei would believe it… She didn’t give Wei Zheng a chance to refute, blocking further discussion with the Empress’s supposed wishes. She withdrew into the carriage and addressed the tall figure of a rider outside the opposite window:

“Elder Yang! Fourteenth Prince has returned to Da’an Palace with the imperial escort, so you’re going with Minister Wei to investigate… That’s good. About that young lady I mentioned to you last time for a possible match – have you heard any news?”

Wei Zheng rode his horse along the left side of the carriage. From the right window came Yang Xinzhi’s confused voice:

“Which young lady?”

The shadow outside the window moved as the tall figure seemed to bend down on horseback, bringing his face closer to the window. Chai Yinglu lifted the curtain on this side and responded:

“The one in the carriage that day! What do you think? Fifth Aunt and Fifth Uncle haven’t said anything about it.”

Her face was turned outward, but her eyes darted meaningfully, indicating to Yang Xinzhi that someone was in the carriage. Yang Xinzhi made an “oh” sound, his half-face wavering outside the window for a moment. He probably saw the situation inside, paused, and then replied: “I haven’t given it much thought, whatever is fine.”

This pair of cousins had excellent unspoken understanding – their conversation had explained Wei Shubin’s awkward situation, while Wei Zheng on the other side of the carriage remained completely unaware. For the rest of the journey, Chai Yinglu kept conversing with Yang Xinzhi, giving Wei Zheng no chance to interject, all the way until they reached Ganye Temple’s gate.

As soon as the ox cart stopped, Yang Xinzhi hurried forward to open the carriage door. Chai Yinglu quickly jumped down to greet the dismounting Wei Zheng:

“Please follow me, Minister Wei. Shall we first look at First Miss’s former residence? It’s also where her body was found – her remains might still be there…”

Wei Zheng responded with a “Thank you for your trouble,” and their footsteps gradually faded. Wei Shubin breathed a sigh of relief and quietly slipped out of the carriage, finding Yang Xinzhi still standing beside it, his massive frame effectively shielding her from view.

Looking around, she saw the ox cart had stopped outside the temple’s main gate. Where could she hide temporarily to escape her father’s sight?

“Elder Yang!”

Her father’s voice called from inside the main gate, making Wei Shubin shudder again. Her legs went weak, and she instinctively grabbed the end of Yang Xinzhi’s belt.

The call was summoning Yang Xinzhi to join them inside. Yang Xinzhi responded and slowly walked into Ganye Temple. Wei Shubin, terrified and unsure what to do, stayed behind him, following his steps precisely.

If Yang Xinzhi hadn’t been three or four times Wei Shubin’s size, this human shield trick wouldn’t have worked nearly as well.

Chai Yinglu led Wei Zheng at a quick pace, heading straight for the east wing while calling out to Yang Xinzhi: “Xinzhi, go to the main hall and have them set up an interrogation area. Have them bring a screen to separate the inside from outside, then ask Miss Zheng and Miss Yang to bring some of the older girls over to talk…”

Her voice grew distant. Yang Xinzhi kept acknowledging her instructions while facing the direction of the east wing, moving sideways like a crab to shield Wei Shubin behind him as they made their way into the main hall.

This five-bay, nine-purlin building with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof had originally been the main hall of the former Prince of Qi’s mansion, now converted into the temple’s main hall. A large statue of Maitreya Buddha sat cross-legged against the north wall. Piled and displayed on and in front of the altar were cloth, screens, silk cords, brocade curtains, cushions, food and wine, lacquer tables, cosmetic boxes, gold, and silver items, and other objects – these were the betrothal gifts from the Chai family and Lady Linfen’s dowry from the inner palace.

Chai Yinglu had ordered a sectioned-off area to be prepared in the main hall for questioning. Though the space was large, there were so many objects that arranging it was troublesome. Yang Xinzhi called over several servants, and Wei Shubin helped direct them in moving screens, standing screens, platform beds, and braziers. Before they finished, they heard her father and Chai Yinglu walking toward the main hall’s entrance, still talking.

Why so quick?

Wei Shubin had planned to help with the arrangements and then slip out of the main hall to hide in some secluded corner until Chai Yinglu finished with her father and could take her back to Zixu Temple. Now she was trapped in the main hall. Looking around, she saw no suitable hiding places, but Yang Xinzhi noticed a set of standing screens propped against the west wall. He went over, lifted one of the screen cloths, and gestured for her to hide behind it.

Though Yang Xinzhi was large and imposing, he seemed quite skilled at playing hide-and-seek… Wei Shubin ducked behind the screen and stood still, looking up to see the concern in Yang Xinzhi’s eyes. A sudden warmth filled her chest.

While her escape from an arranged marriage seemed unfortunate, she had encountered Chai Yinglu, Li Yuangui, Yang Xinzhi, and even Empress Zhangsun, all of whom protected her either openly or secretly, even willing to offend Wei Zheng, the empire’s premier minister, for her sake. In that sense, she was quite fortunate.

She had wondered about this before. If Chai Yinglu was willing to help her out of sympathy for her own tragic experience with marriage arrangements controlled by parents and elders, what about the two young men, Li Yuangui and Yang Xinzhi?

On the way from Lizheng Hall to Ganye Temple, after hearing Chai Yinglu tell the story of this young master and servant pair, she vaguely realized that these two probably harbored even deeper hatred for “parental and elder control.” Earlier, outside First Miss’s chambers, Yang Xinzhi had inadvertently remarked that “most parents in the world are like this,” surely speaking from deep personal experience.

Wei Shubin looked up at Yang Xinzhi, taking in his tall, powerful frame and the gentle smile on his martial face. She thought about how he was originally the legitimate eldest son of a noble Yang family from Hongnong, born with outstanding appearance and ready wit, with boundless prospects ahead – yet through fate’s twists, he became an outside-born son in a princess’s household, having to make his way under a noble stepmother’s authority. No wonder that despite his young age, he had developed such an understanding and diplomatically skillful nature – a stepmother’s rice wasn’t easy to eat.

Yang Xinzhi smiled at Wei Shubin and let go of the curtain, which fell perfectly to conceal her slender figure. The gaps between the fabric panels were quite wide, allowing Wei Shubin to peek out. She saw Yang Xinzhi move around the newly placed large screen and go out to the hall entrance.

The noise of voices and footsteps approached from outside, and Wei Shubin unexpectedly heard Prince Wu Li Yuangui’s voice:

“…The Emperor Emeritus remains in deep sleep, and His Majesty and Third Brother-in-law are still waiting at Da’an Palace. I begged to leave to come out first, as accompanying Minister Wei’s investigation is urgent…”

Da’an Palace was at the westernmost end of the imperial garden, where one could gallop horses, so his quick arrival made sense. As they spoke, several men moved behind the large screen, while only Chai Yinglu remained on the western side, lifting her skirts to sit on the couch before the screen.

The interrogation area was arranged as follows:

Inside the south entrance, a large screen was placed east to west. West of the screen, two couches were placed under the window – seats for Chai Yinglu and those being questioned, with Wei Shubin’s hiding place among the standing screens nearby. Women entering the hall would turn past a side screen to enter this space, then leave the same way after questioning.

East of the large screen sat Wei Zheng, Li Yuangui, and Yang Xinzhi, listening to voices and able to ask questions, but never seeing the faces of the women answering – naturally, they couldn’t see Wei Shubin either. Once everyone was seated, Wei Zheng spoke first, directing his question to Chai Yinglu:

“May I ask the Venerable Master, who recently brought up this wedding and set its time and location?”

Chai Yinglu answered:

“It was the Empress – during the family feast after the archery ceremony on Double Ninth Festival last year. She mentioned to the Emperor Emeritus that there were still eleven granddaughters in Ganye Temple who had reached marriageable age, most already betrothed, and it was time to arrange their weddings, with First Miss naturally being first in line. First Miss was already nineteen this year and should have long since married Zhewei and joined our family. Since the officials were preparing the grand ceremony for the Crown Prince’s consort, with ceremonial equipment readily available, they could arrange this series of weddings in sequence…”

Chai Yinglu spoke as efficiently as she worked, with clear logic and precise articulation. After explaining the wedding’s origin, she described how the Empress had assigned her to organize both inside and outside the temple, plan the wedding process, prepare the dowry, and manage guests’ comings and goings. She then detailed how last night, during the groom’s ceremonial escort, she had directed temple servants to challenge the groom with difficult tasks, block doors with fire, and set up ambushes for potential wall-climbers like Yang Xinzhi… up until she heard screams from the east wing and rushed over to find First Miss hanging from the beam.

She maintained an almost completely emotionless tone throughout, only showing a slight catch in her voice when describing how her elder brother Zhewei’s first sight of his bride was of a dead face. She paused to take a deep breath before explaining to Wei Zheng the four suspicious points found after discovering First Miss’s body, and their debate last night about whether it was suicide or murder. Wei Zheng just listened without comment.

Next to enter the main hall was the nominal overseer of Ganye Temple, the widow of the former Crown Prince, the Reclusive Prince, Lady Zheng.

Wei Shubin had heard from her mother that Lady Zheng, whose childhood name was Guanyin, came from a noble family in Yingyang. After the Emperor Emeritus and his sons entered Chang’an, she became a consort to the former Crown Prince and later bore his eldest son Chengzong, becoming Crown Princess. This woman who had been destined to become the future empress, though not as renowned for beauty before marriage as Princess Hailing’s wife Lady Yang, was gracefully beautiful and earned much respect for her harmonious relationship with the former Crown Prince.

Now, after nine years of confinement in the temple, as she quietly walked into everyone’s view under the bright sunlight, Wei Shubin could only think of one description—

A body like withered wood, a heart like dead ashes.

Though she had married into the Tang family and became Crown Princess at a relatively young age, most of her hair had already turned gray. Her eyes were cold and lifeless, and facing everyone’s greetings and explanations, she merely bowed in return and sat down without a word, seemingly prepared to answer any question and face any absurdity this world might present.

Regarding the First Miss’s wedding to the Chai family, she had also learned of it from officials last autumn – this was naturally due to His Majesty’s benevolence and the Chai family’s honor. She lacked virtue and ability, unable to manage such grand affairs, and was thankful for the Empress appointing the Venerable Master to help, relying entirely on her daily diligent work these past months.

Yesterday afternoon when the Empress visited, palace officials had come with orders in the morning. She and Princess Hailing’s wife Lady Yang had prepared their daughters to receive the imperial visit, but due to poor judgment, they had dressed inappropriately – a grave offense. Only when the Empress was about to leave did she point this out, prompting them to quickly change into formal robes with pheasant patterns. The memory filled her with shame.

What did she do after the Empress’s phoenix carriage departed? No, she hadn’t returned to her quarters in the west wing to change clothes but had remained kneeling before the Buddha in this hall, praying for redemption for her late husband’s and her sins, and First Miss’s blessings. The floral patterned formal robes had been brought by serving maids, who had helped her dress right here in the hall. Only when the wedding escort arrived at the main gate calling for the bride to prepare did she finish dressing and leave the hall, sending Nursemaid He Ba to the east wing to check on First Miss’s preparations…

Wei Shubin remembered seeing a serving maid walk from the Buddha hall’s direction last night, hurrying toward the east wing with a lamp before First Miss’s body was discovered hanging from the beam. So that had been Nursemaid He Ba, sent by Lady Zheng.

This seemed to be the extent of Lady Zheng’s maternal duties. Beyond this, she hadn’t seen or heard any unusual movements; nothing had caught her attention except the incense burner and sutras before Buddha.

Were there any unfamiliar faces in the courtyard last night? With the wedding celebrations and visitors, there were naturally strangers, but everything was properly arranged without incident.

What about First Miss’s usual temperament, recent behavior, or any mention of suicide or leaving final words? The child was quiet and obedient, and as the eldest sister, helped care for her younger sisters – very sensible, nothing special. She had a nursemaid caring for her daily needs, so Lady Zheng didn’t manage much and couldn’t say much. No, she hadn’t heard any talk of suicide.

And so it went. Throughout this long question, Zheng Guanyin’s eyebrows never moved once, the wrinkles on her nearly transparent pale face remained smooth, her voice soft and flat, showing no ripples of emotion. This woman in the thorny hairpin and plain clothes, kneeling by the south window, was completely bathed in noon sunlight, her features clear and cheekbones distinct, yet she still seemed ethereal as a ghost.

She finally showed a hint of humanity when answering Wei Zheng’s last question. Wei Shubin felt her father’s discomfort even behind the screen as he asked haltingly:

“Forgive my rudeness – Lady Linfen was born in the second year of Wude, the same year as the late Prince of Taiyuan, so… she wasn’t born to you, Lady Zheng?”

Zheng Guanyin lifted her face slightly, her features finally showing some change, though her voice remained cold:

“Correct.”

“May I ask if the Lady served her stepmother with complete filial devotion?”

“As if I were her birth mother.” The former Crown Princess paused. “Minister Wei served in the Eastern Palace during the Wude years – did you ever hear rumors of me being unkind to any children not born to me? If that was true then, after entering Ganye Temple, sharing the same fate as mother and daughter, we naturally became even closer.”

No one could refute her logic, which was clear and convincing – worthy of one who had been prepared to become empress. If there had been reason for the Crown Prince’s consorts and children to compete for favor and position in the Eastern Palace back then, now as a widow with orphaned daughters confined – or rather, under house arrest – in this desolate compound, what was left to fight over?

Though perhaps there was… Wei Shubin suddenly remembered the handsome eldest son of the Chai family she had seen last night. Wouldn’t he count as something valuable belonging to Li Yiniang?

The Chai family and Li Jiancheng’s family seemed to have a tradition of continuing betrothal agreements. Three of Chai Yinglu’s betrotheds from the Li family had died, and three times new engagements were arranged. So after Chai Zhewei’s fiancée’s death, would they continue the tradition and arrange a marriage with one of First Miss’s sisters?

With Zheng Guanyin and her daughters confined in this sunless Ganye Temple, they probably couldn’t find a better match than Chai Zhewei as a successful son-in-law and ideal husband. First Miss wasn’t Zheng Guanyin’s birth daughter, so she might not have truly loved her. Perhaps after getting rid of First Miss, her birth daughter would have a chance?

Vol 1 – Chapter 13 Notes:

Wei Shubin ducked behind a “portable screen” (xingzhang) propped against the wall to hide herself. These portable screens were commonly used by aristocratic households, especially for women traveling, primarily to prevent outsiders from catching glimpses of noble ladies (though their main function was really to broadcast “I’m of noble status, commoners stay away”). In Vol 1 – Chapter One, when Wei Shubin escaped from the “screen curtain” enclosure set up on the hillside by her family, it was the same type of thing, just with slightly different details.

In this Dunhuang mural, the textile item in the lower right corner is a portable screen – you can get a sense of what it looked like.