As the sun set in the west, Wei Shubin and Chai Yingluo had spent quite some time in the Da’an Hall. As the three women stepped out of the hall, an evening breeze swept by, causing Wei Shubin to shiver.
Seeing the thin Seventeenth Princess wearing only a lined gown, her face sallow and likely feeling cold, she couldn’t help but suggest, “Sister Ying, should we first get a thick coat…?”
Chai Yingluo shook her head and replied in a low voice, “The maids in Seventeenth Aunt’s chambers…” She didn’t finish, but Wei Shubin understood – the palace maids in the Seventeenth Princess’s quarters were surely all Consort Yin’s people. Once they went there, they wouldn’t be able to leave again.
Chai Yingluo wore a Taoist robe with wide sleeves and no overlay. After some thought, Wei Shubin untied her thick shawl and went forward to wrap it around the Seventeenth Princess’s shoulders. The little girl nestled close to the female Taoist, looking up with a grateful smile, her thin lips indeed already purple from the cold.
The three women walked directly toward the main gate of the Da’an Hall courtyard. Without looking, Wei Shubin knew that the guards on the gatehouse and the sentries inside and outside the gate were all watching them. She didn’t know how Chai Yingluo planned to get past this checkpoint, so she would just follow along and act according to the situation.
Whatever happened, they couldn’t hand the poor little girl back to Consort Yin, or she might not survive the night.
Through the tall gateway, Wei Shubin could see Li Yuangui’s tall, thin figure outside. He seemed to have stood there without moving, letting the late winter north wind from the mountains blow at his headband ties and robes, as silent as the long grass and withered trees on the slope.
“Consort Yin understands that the siblings haven’t seen each other for many days, so she asked me to escort the Seventeenth Princess out to visit Prince Wu’s residence for a while and return her before dark. If the Emperor Emeritus needs anything, you can find me at the Seventeenth Prince’s compound,” Chai Yingluo instructed the gate officers matter-of-factly, her tone steady and commanding.
The deputy commander hesitated and looked at a middle-aged man beside him, who smiled apologetically: “It’s not that this humble Yin dares to contradict the Supreme True Master, but without an escort from Consort Yin’s side… or a gate pass…”
“Absurd!” the female Taoist frowned and scolded, “We’re not even leaving Da’an Palace – what gate pass do we need? It’s just a few steps to the Seventeenth Prince’s compound, why would we need someone from Lady Yin’s side to escort us? – Seventeenth Aunt, look who’s there?”
The Seventeenth Princess, who had been eagerly looking outside the gate, immediately ran out at her prompt, crying “Brother!” and threw herself sobbing into Li Yuangui’s open arms.
The guards inside and outside the gate stirred, but none dared stop the thin little princess. Chai Yingluo and Wei Shubin also took the opportunity to follow her out. The man surnamed Yin circled, still not giving up: “Supreme True Master, please forgive me, but it’s my duty, I really can’t be careless. The Fourteenth Prince has an imperial decree forbidding him from entering Da’an Hall…”
“Palace Supervisor Yin, you’re being too cautious,” Chai Yingluo gave him a sideways glance. “The Fourteenth Prince hasn’t stepped inside the gate at all, has anyone violated the decree?”
“Uh…” Palace Supervisor Yin was momentarily speechless, turning worriedly to look at Li Yuangui.
Sharing the same surname as Consort Yin, he was likely a relative she had placed in Da’an Palace to manage affairs. The gate commander, unwilling to confront Prince Wu directly, had called for this Yin to make decisions after Chai Yingluo and Wei Shubin entered.
Li Yuangui, who had been silent while holding his sister, now freed his right hand to grip his sword hilt, raising his head to coldly glare at Palace Supervisor Yin, his entire being emanating killing intent.
His stance made it clear – if Supervisor Yin tried to stop them further, he would draw his sword and strike.
One against many, he certainly had little chance of victory and would likely be captured quickly – but given his status, being caught would only result in reprimands, fines, stripped titles, and house arrest. Whoever dared to fight him would have to bear the stigma of a subordinate attacking their superior, and being killed or wounded by him would be a wasteful death, with no hope of the prince paying compensation for their life.
The twenty or so guards outside Da’an Hall’s gate were all struck silent. Chai Yingluo walked over and smiled: “Fourteenth Uncle, what are you doing? Aren’t you happy to see your sister? Consort Yin has shown mercy, letting you reunite with family – why are you still standing here? Time is short, let’s go to the Seventeenth Prince’s compound.”
Li Yuangui nodded, still silent, and turned to walk down the mountain path with his arm around the little girl. When Palace Supervisor Yin stretched his neck to call out “Fourteenth Prince,” Chai Yingluo’s pretty face darkened as she cut him off: “The Emperor Emeritus and Lady Yin are both resting. If you want to cause trouble by shouting and disturbing the Emperor Emeritus’s ill health, you’ll have to bear the consequences yourself!”
These words finally silenced Palace Supervisor Yin. Chai Yingluo beckoned to Wei Shubin and followed Li Yuangui and his sister down the mountain path.
The four walked down in succession, and once they were out of sight of the Da’an Hall gate guards, they all quickened their pace, hurrying along the branch path leading to the valley where the Seventeenth Prince’s compound lay. After a turn and bend, behind the roadside cliff face appeared Yang Xinzhi’s burly figure, holding four horses.
“Mount up, quickly!” Chai Yingluo commanded efficiently. “Seventeenth Aunt, you ride with A-Fen. If anyone at the outer gate asks, say you’re going to my temple by Consort Yin’s order for fasting and medical treatment – ah, if anyone asks, don’t any of you speak, I’ll handle it. Fourteenth Uncle, let go, don’t delay! We must get through the outer palace gate before Da’an Hall thinks to send word!”
Li Yuangui hesitated a moment before lifting his sister onto the strongest horse, then looked expectantly at Wei Shubin holding the reins. There was no time to think of anything else – Wei Shubin mounted using the stirrup and sat behind the Seventeenth Princess, holding the reins with both hands, feeling the cold, trembling body of the little girl in her arms.
The other three quickly mounted as well, with Li Yuangui taking the lead. Yang Xinzhi worriedly asked Chai Yingluo: “What if the hall gate signals the other posts with flags and gongs?”
“That’s why I said hurry, don’t wait for them to realize what’s happening,” she answered. “They won’t sound the gongs and such – they wouldn’t dare disturb the Emperor Emeritus.”
The four horses proceeded in sequence, not daring to gallop wildly for fear of drawing unnecessary attention, instead moving at a quick trot through checkpoint after checkpoint. Only at the first gate did someone question “Why is there an extra person?” Chai Yingluo answered smoothly, and the five passed through successfully.
When they finally rode out through the outermost gate on Da’an Palace’s mountain path, Wei Shubin couldn’t help letting out a long breath. Li Yuangui rode closer and reached over to take his sister onto his horse.
Chai Yingluo reined in her horse and spoke: “I’ve thought it over again and again – this won’t work. Fourteenth Uncle, we must take Seventeenth Aunt to Lizheng Hall – hurry, the night curfew drum will sound soon.”
“Wasn’t the plan to first settle Seventeenth Sister at your Zixu Temple-“
“No,” the female Taoist shook her head. “Consort Yin can command the Da’an Palace guards. If tomorrow morning she sends people to Zixu Temple demanding to see the Seventeenth Princess, falsely claiming the Emperor Emeritus’s decree, how can I openly defy an imperial order? Under heaven, only the Emperor and Empress can protect her – even Consort Yin wouldn’t dare make trouble at Lizheng Hall.”
Li Yuangui frowned deeply, opened his mouth but couldn’t argue. Chai Yingluo turned to Yang Xinzhi and Wei Shubin, arranging: “Master Yang, go back to Da’an Palace, be careful, and try not to be seen openly. If you hear any news, hurry out to inform us. A-Fen, you return to Zixu Temple-“
“Can we go together to Lizheng Hall to plead for the Seventeenth Princess?” Wei Shubin asked, glancing at the girl who had buried her face in her brother’s embrace. “I witnessed firsthand the situation between Consort Yin and Seventeenth Princess – I can testify. If the Emperor and Empress don’t agree, we can all kneel and beg…”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but you really shouldn’t get involved anymore,” Chai Yingluo sighed. “This is an imperial family matter, it can’t become too big. Moreover, your father is Minister Wei, the censor your Second Uncle fears most… Just return to the temple and wait for news from me and Fourteenth Uncle.”
With these words, she and Li Yuangui called out almost simultaneously, spurring their horses to gallop. With long neighs, the two horses raced away side by side like the wind, quickly disappearing into the dusky mountain forest path.
Wei Shubin bid farewell to Yang Xinzhi, and they went their separate ways. She had been riding all day with barely any food or drink and was both exhausted and thirsty. After returning to Zixu Temple, she asked for some food and water, then sat on a couch to read and rest, quietly awaiting Chai Yingluo’s return.
Thinking back on the afternoon’s struggle at Da’an Palace, beyond the tension and excitement, she felt more puzzled. Consort Yin certainly hadn’t fallen asleep naturally – it must have been some drug administered by Chai Yingluo the divine physician, but how had she done it?
The most suspicious was naturally the “Snow Ginseng Soul-Calming Pill” she had personally put in the Emperor Emeritus’s medicine bowl, but… Wei Shubin shook her head. She didn’t think Chai Yingluo would dare tamper with the Emperor Emeritus’s medicine this way. The old man’s breath was as thin as silk thread and he was extremely weak – if he took a potent sleeping drug, there was a high chance he would never wake again, and if investigated, Chai Yingluo couldn’t bear that responsibility.
Consort Yin must have thought the same, which is why she neither stopped Chai Yingluo from adding that pill nor worried about tasting the medicine alongside her.
Tasting… the medicine…
Wei Shubin bit her lip in thought. The only opportunity for Consort Yin to ingest a sleeping drug that afternoon must have been when she and Chai Yingluo took turns tasting the medicine. But that medicine was taken from the Emperor Emeritus’s bowl, and Chai Yingluo herself drank quite a bit and remained clear-headed – how had she precisely knocked out Consort Yin?
Her head ached from thinking but she still had no insight. At this time, the noise came from outside the courtyard – the temple master must have returned.
Wei Shubin put down her book and jumped up, throwing on clothes and slipping on shoes to go out and greet them. It was around the hour of xu and hai, and in the moonlight, several people were indeed walking toward the temple master’s residence, led by a tall woman in Taoist robes with swaying wide sleeves – it was Chai Yingluo.
With a “wu” sound, a gust of musty wind swept past Wei Shubin as a dark shadow crashed into the female Taoist at shocking speed. Most people present were startled, but Chai Yingluo laughed “A-Tun!” and reached out to pat the shadow – it was that fat leopard again.
The leopard nuzzled against her a few times, then raised its face and bared its teeth threateningly at someone beside Chai Yingluo. Wei Shubin had walked closer by now and saw that the tall, thin figure was Li Yuangui.
Perhaps Li Yuangui rarely came to this retired courtyard of the Zixu Temple master and was unfamiliar with her pet. Being threatened by a fat leopard, the young prince wouldn’t show weakness – he raised his horsewhip in warning, and the leopard immediately shrank back behind Chai Yingluo, mewing for protection, making everyone present laugh.
“A-Fen, you’re not asleep yet?” Chai Yingluo smiled tiredly at Wei Shubin. “That’s good. Fourteenth Uncle and I just returned from the palace, haven’t eaten all day – come join us for some wine.”
Though her expression was weary, she seemed calm, and since she mentioned drinking, the matter of “asking the Empress to adopt the Seventeenth Princess” had likely succeeded. Wei Shubin gladly followed the two into the female Taoist’s living room.
The room was warm and fragrant, with layered candles illuminating the brocade-covered couches and tables, mother-of-pearl inlaid bird and flower red lacquer screens, and thick Persian carpets covering the floor. A pierced five-footed silver incense burner in the corner of the floor coverings released a sweet aroma that made one’s ears warm and bones soft at its scent. The room purely displayed the air of a wealthy family’s mistress – there was nothing of an ascetic mountain dwelling of a religious cultivator.
Before they could exchange greetings and sit down, Li Yuangui suddenly bowed deeply to Wei Shubin.
This imperial brother and prince had always been arrogant and discourteous, and his sudden humble bow greatly startled Wei Shubin – she was so shocked she forgot to avoid it or return the courtesy. But Li Yuangui remained silent, his face cold as he took out half a piece of brocade from under his arm and presented it with both hands.
This was… the shawl Wei Shubin had wrapped around the Seventeenth Princess’s shoulders that afternoon.
Since moving into Zixu Temple, Wei Shubin had changed many of her clothes inside and out – Jingxuan and the maid Ayuan from this residence had brought many of their mistress’s new clothes to alter for her to wear. Only this shawl was still the one Wei Shubin had worn when she fled her arranged marriage, made from thick Shu brocade with a green background and flower medallions, very warm and windproof.
When Wei Shubin had used this shawl to wrap the poor little girl’s thin shoulders that afternoon, she hadn’t intended to take it back. Now seeing Li Yuangui offering it with both hands, she hesitated, not yet reaching out to take it when Chai Yingluo’s laughter flew over:
“I give up on you, Fourteenth Prince – if you want to thank Miss Wei for righteously helping to rescue someone, at least say ‘I’ll repay this great kindness someday,’ right? What’s with this silent gesture?”
She was standing by the entrance, instructing the maids outside about preparing wine and food, when she swept a glance over and made this teasing remark. Li Yuangui’s face immediately reddened as he stammered: “Great… great kindness needs no thanks…”
But the female Taoist wouldn’t let her young uncle off so easily, walking over with a smile: “If great kindness needs no thanks, then you can only repay it with yourself? Not bad actually – you don’t have a Princess of Wu yet, right? As for A-Fen, you know her well, so why not just…”
“Sister Ying!”
“Sister Ying!”
The joke went too far – Wei Shubin and Li Yuangui called out simultaneously to stop her, their clear female voice and deep male voice interweaving in harmony, making them sound even more in tune with each other, like the harmonious playing of qin and se.
Chai Yingluo burst out laughing with a “poof,” her body shaking like swaying flower branches. Wei Shubin’s face flushed bright red with embarrassment. She no longer reached for the shawl but lowered her head and turned to leave with a sweep of her sleeves.
Vol 1 – Chapter 20 Note:
The “pierced five-footed silver incense burner” in Chai Yingluo’s room is modeled after the “Tang Dynasty Peach-Shaped Honeysuckle Pattern Pierced Five-Footed Silver Incense Burner” exhibited in the Shaanxi History Museum.