“Alright, alright, no more jokes. Let’s have some drinks together. Fourteenth Uncle and I are both starving and exhausted.”
In the main hall of the Zixu Temple master’s quarters, Chai Yingluo linked arms with Wei Shubin, laughing as she pulled her back to sit on the couch. Though Wei Shubin’s face was still warm, she had many questions she wanted answered, so after a slight hesitation, she stayed with a bashful expression, though she no longer dared to look directly at Li Yuangui.
Chai Yingluo took the shawl from Li Yuangui’s hands and smilingly wrapped it around Wei Shubin’s shoulders. Though it was originally her own garment, Wei Shubin had no reason to refuse, but when the brocade touched her arms, she could faintly feel the remaining warmth, and realizing this was likely because Li Yuangui had carried it himself all the way, she felt another wave of embarrassment.
Earlier, Chai Yingluo had instructed the servants to prepare wine and food and to read a guest-chamber for Prince Wu to stay the night. The maids serving in this residence were well-trained and very efficient – soon a hot meal with wine and soup was brought up. Though there were no grand dishes, the few plates of preserved chicken and pickled eggplant were clean and delicious, with a pot of thick golden millet porridge and heated wine. Though Wei Shubin had already eaten dinner, the aroma made her mouth water.
Chai Yingluo seated Li Yuangui in the place of honor, while she and Wei Shubin sat on either side to keep him company. Wei Shubin kept her head lowered, secretly glancing at Li Yuangui through her eyelashes, seeing the young prince eating silently, his chopsticks flying as he picked up food and drank porridge.
This fourteenth imperial son, born in the deep palace and raised among women, was probably a typical case of “quick at tasks but slow with people.” When investigating the scene of Yi Niang’s hanging death, he had been eloquent and thorough; later when questioning relevant parties and even when asking Chai Yingluo for help saving his sister, he had been clear and logical. But when it came to putting aside difficult matters and engaging in pure social interaction to build relationships, he became silent and reluctant to speak, wearing an arrogant expression as if common people were beneath his notice.
After Consort Yin lost her son, she specifically chose to torment Li Yuangui’s family of three – this must have had something to do with his irritating demeanor…
After they had eaten some porridge to satisfy their hunger, Wei Shubin slowly asked about the Seventeenth Princess’s situation. Chai Yingluo gave a bitter smile: “It’s alright – the Empress scolded us both, but in the end agreed to temporarily care for Seventeenth Aunt, letting her stay first with several motherless princesses in the back courtyard of Lizheng Hall… ah.”
“Isn’t that good?” Wei Shubin asked. Why did Chai Yingluo still look so worried, and why didn’t Li Yuangui seem relieved at completing his mission?
“The Empress also said that in terms of relations, she is only Seventeenth Aunt’s sister-in-law, Fourteenth Uncle is her older brother, and the Emperor Emeritus… or let’s directly say that wretch Consort Yin, is Seventeenth Aunt’s birth father. For an unmarried daughter, matters of life and death should follow the father – brothers and in-laws cannot interfere at this level. If Consort Yin forges an imperial decree insisting Seventeenth Aunt return to Da’an Palace, even the Emperor and Empress would fear something happening to the Emperor Emeritus – a little sister, no matter what cannot be compared to one’s sovereign father. I believe the Empress will do her best to protect her, but when it comes to a point where there’s no choice, ah…”
Li Yuangui drained his tall cup of hot wine in one gulp and said bitterly: “If that day comes, I’ll snatch Seventeenth Sister away again, and we siblings will live freely in seclusion in the mountains! What good is being a prince or princess anyway!”
Chai Yingluo burst out laughing: “How naive! Live in seclusion in the mountains? Can you farm? Can Seventeenth Aunt weave? Even if you’re both willing to learn, where will you get fields, livestock, hoes, and seeds? Do you have a farming household registration? Can you build houses and raise beams? Or have you already made perfect preparations, with large amounts of gold and silver to buy an estate and servants, and arrangements with local officials?”
Her mother was Li Yuangui’s half-sister, making her the young prince’s niece by blood, but she showed no respect in her words or actions, taking on the air of an elder sister lecturing a younger brother. Li Yuangui seemed used to this treatment – when scolded by her, he hung his head dejectedly without daring to argue back, only pouring himself cup after cup of wine.
Watching from the side, Wei Shubin suddenly recalled how Li Yuangui had bowed to thank her for helping rescue his sister, but showed no such gesture to Chai Yingluo who had done the most work – though perhaps he had already thanked her outside – but seeing the familiar, unreserved way this niece and uncle spoke and laughed together, their relationship was very deep… What had Chai Yingluo, that famously flirtatious female Taoist, just said? “If great kindness needs no thanks, then you can only repay it with yourself”…
Clearing her throat, Minister Wei’s daughter suppressed her wild thoughts and found a new topic: “What did His Majesty say about the Empress taking in the Seventeenth Princess?”
Empress Zhangsun was known for avoiding trouble and seeking stability, while the current Emperor was said to have a “heroic temperament.” By rights, hearing about this vindictive stepmother’s unfair treatment, he should have risen in anger and stepped forward to protect the poor little girl – the Seventeenth Princess was not only Li Yuangui’s full sister but also the Emperor’s half-sister.
“His Majesty didn’t return to Lizheng Hall tonight,” Chai Yingluo answered. “It seems the frontier situation with the Tuyuhun is tense – he’s up all night strategizing with generals and ministers. That’s why the Empress doesn’t want His Majesty to know about Seventeenth Aunt’s situation, to avoid worsening his mood.”
Wei Shubin thought about it but had nothing else to say. At least the poor young lady had found shelter – staying with the Empress was certainly safer than with that venomous woman… but had that poisonous woman woken up yet?
“Sister Ying,” she asked with a smile, “how did you knock out Consort Yin? I’ve been thinking all evening but still can’t figure it out.”
Chai Yingluo, who was drinking soup, also smiled: “You were there, didn’t you see?”
“It wasn’t the Snow Ginseng Soul-Calming Pill I put in the medicine bowl… the Emperor Emeritus also drank that medicine…”
“Of course not, how would I dare drug the Emperor Emeritus?” the female Taoist smiled. “There was no precious Snow Ginseng Soul-Calming Pill that needed to be handled by a pure young woman – I haven’t finished refining that elixir yet. The celadon bottle just contained some mouth-freshening pills for clearing teeth and removing bad breath, with some cinnamon and mint extract – the Emperor Emeritus could eat them like candy without issue.”
Wei Shubin and Li Yuangui both laughed. Earlier when Chai Yingluo had described the “Snow Ginseng Soul-Calming Pill” as so precious and rare, Wei Shubin had been quite nervous, worried she might accidentally dirty or crush it.
“By talking up the divine elixir and making Consort Yin focus all her attention on that, she and her confidante didn’t notice me pouring ma fei powder into the medicine-tasting cup.” Chai Yingluo smiled slightly, taking out an unremarkable black pottery vial from her wide Taoist robe sleeve and waving it before them. “Personally prepared by my master Sun Zhenren – very potent. Half a bottle will make your body and bones go numb – you wouldn’t feel it even if someone cut open your belly.”
“The anesthetic was poured into the tasting cup,” Wei Shubin looked at the black pottery vial with some awe, “but… Sister Ying, didn’t you also use that cup and drink several mouthfuls of medicine?”
“Yes,” the female Taoist sighed, “that wretch Consort Yin is unusually sharp. If I hadn’t drunk first, it would have been hard to trick her into drinking too. Although I spit most of the medicine into my handkerchief, my mouth and tongue are still numb even now…”
So that was it. It still came down to speed.
“How long does the ma fei powder’s effect last?” Li Yuangui suddenly asked. “Can that wretch sleep until tomorrow morning?”
Chai Yingluo shook her head: “No, she didn’t swallow much to begin with. I estimate she’ll wake up by nightfall – she’s probably already awake now, furiously jumping around and beating her servants.”
Li Yuangui sighed, glumly stirring his porridge bowl with his spoon. Chai Yingluo watched him with furrowed brows:
“Fourteenth Uncle, don’t act rashly. No matter how much you hate that wretch, you must endure for now – after all, the Emperor Emeritus is most important. The country is mobilizing troops – if there’s an imperial death, His Majesty might be forced to recall the army, which would ruin important matters.”
Li Yuangui gave a bitter laugh and said “I know,” then continued: “Actually, I wasn’t thinking of going to make trouble for that wretch, but wanted to get her confidante maid to talk. Earlier at Lizheng Hall, I saw the Empress still had Yi Niang’s hanging rope and suicide note beside her, and suddenly thought of a possibility…”
“What possibility?” Chai Yingluo asked. “You think that wretch Yin is also connected to Yi Niang’s death?”
“Sister Ying, have you forgotten? Who forced me to officiate Yi Niang’s wedding?” Li Yuangui asked in return. “After this case came out, besides Yi Niang’s death, who suffered the most damage? Who does wretch Yin hate most in this world?”
Chai Yingluo was silent for a moment, then sighed: “After what happened with Eighth Uncle, she never believed for a moment that her son died of illness – she’s convinced it was revenge from His Majesty and his wife, everyone inside and outside the palace knows…”
Wei Shubin understood Li Yuangui was suggesting that Consort Yin, believing her only son Li Yuanheng had been killed by the Emperor and Empress, was seeking revenge by any means possible. When Yi Niang died mysteriously at her wedding, the main suspect was Empress Zhangsun – Consort Yin must have found this situation very satisfying, and might even have participated in or masterminded the case…
“Before Yi Niang’s wedding, Da’an Palace also gave quite a bit of dowry that was sent to Ganye Temple – I brought some over several times. Xinzhi and I both saw Consort Yin’s confidante maids whispering with Consorts Zheng and Yang in private, being very secretive – who knows what they were saying.” Li Yuangui frowned in thought.
This sounded familiar to Wei Shubin – just as she recalled hearing it at Ganye Temple that morning, Chai Yingluo said:
“It seems I need to go home for a few days and ask my father in person.”
“Ask your father?” Li Yuangui was startled. “What does this have to do with Third Brother-in-law?”
“What do you think?” the female Taoist looked at him. “If Da’an Palace sent word to my father, hinting that after Yi Niang’s burial and mourning period, they want my eldest brother to marry Fifth Lady, born to Elder Aunt… everything would make sense.”
Wei Shubin drew in a sharp breath and sat up straight.
She had finally followed Chai Yingluo’s line of thought. If Yi Niang’s death was a conspiracy between Consort Yin and Princess Xi’s consort Zheng Guanyin… Consort Yin encouraged Zheng Guanyin to kill her illegitimate eldest daughter at the wedding and frame the Empress to ruin her reputation, while she worked in Da’an Palace to arrange for Zheng Guanyin’s birth daughter to marry Chai Zhewei and inherit the titles and property of the Duke of Qiao and Princess Pingyang’s household – that would truly be a win-win scheme.
“No,” Chai Yingluo shook her head again, “Elder Aunt didn’t have time to commit the crime that night… she was in the Buddha hall the whole time, I saw her going in and out.”
“What you saw was her back, right?” Li Yuangui responded. “How hard is it to impersonate a woman’s back as she kneels praying before Buddha? Besides, even if she didn’t go kill someone herself, it wouldn’t be difficult to instruct a trusted maid to do it.”
“Not necessarily,” Chai Yingluo shook her head. “To kill someone in the dark and make it look like a hanging in a short time – this requires someone steady and courageous. Yesterday you questioned people at Ganye Temple all day, including most of Elder Aunt’s confidantes – did you see any servant capable of doing this?”
Li Yuangui fell silent. Wei Shubin could only think of Yi Niang’s Wet Nurse He Ba, who came from a noble family and had both courage and wisdom – most other servants had foolish expressions like Yang’s maid Aluo. But Wet Nurse He Ba was probably the only person in the world who truly loved Yi Niang – she certainly wouldn’t follow Consort Zheng’s orders to kill Yi Niang…
“Fourth Sister-in-law is also suspicious,” Li Yuangui suddenly said. “She also has two birth daughters confined in the temple, waiting to be married off – though succeeding Yi Niang to marry Zhewei is unlikely, Da’an Palace’s word still counts in choosing who becomes son-in-law.”
Chai Yingluo gave a slight, strange smile: “Do you think so? That delicate beauty Fourth Aunt – could she have the strength and nerve to kill someone?”
Li Yuangui coughed awkwardly: “Of course. Speaking of nerve… haven’t you heard her story of the Orphan of Zhao?”
Wei Shubin had certainly read about the Orphan of Zhao in books, but what did a thousand-year-old history have to do with Former Prince Qi’s consort Yang? Seeing Chai Yingluo silently nod without speaking, she curiously asked:
“What story of the Orphan of Zhao?”
Li Yuangui looked at her, his expression rather gentle, but just as he was about to speak, he turned to Chai Yingluo instead:
“Sister Ying, you tell Miss Wei the story – lest you find something else to tease me about.”
His tone was resentful, and this youthful sensitivity made the female Taoist laugh. Chai Yingluo said:
“Alright, alright, I’ll tell A-Fen. You just drink your wine, and if you catch me saying something worth teasing about, you can tease back to even the score, otherwise who knows how long you’ll hold a grudge…”
This uncle and niece… were truly quite close.
Chai Yingluo turned to Wei Shubin, adjusted her sitting position, and her tone became serious:
“You naturally know about what happened in the sixth month of the ninth year of Wude. On the fourth day, when matters in the palace were settled, Prince Qin’s guards entered the Eastern Palace and Prince Qi’s residence to kill all the sons of my Elder Uncle and Fourth Uncle. At that time, Crown Princess Zheng and all the young lords were in the Eastern Palace, each identified without doubt, but Princess Qi Yang was at her natal home, the residence of Fifth Prince Consort Yang Shidao, about to give birth.”
“Ah?” Wei Shubin was startled. “Even as a princess consort, she returned to her natal home to give birth?”
“She shouldn’t have. After becoming Prince Qi’s consort, she had already given birth to one son and one daughter and was living in the back courtyard of Wude Hall. Later, when Princes Qin and Qi were ordered to move out of Taiji Palace on the same day, Prince Qin’s family lived in Hongyi Palace, and Prince Qi’s family in Hongli Palace. After that, Consort Yang had two more pregnancies, but both miscarried before term, one of them a male. Prince Qi invited a geomancer who said Hongli Palace was inauspicious for the primary consort to bear sons. In the sixth month of the ninth year, when Consort Yang was again pregnant and near term, Fourth Uncle specifically reported to the Emperor and sent her back to her natal home at Yang Shidao’s residence – that is, the Fifth Princess’s residence – to give birth. On the fourth day… Consort Yang had not yet given birth.”
Wei Shubin thought for a moment, then asked:
“Was it rumored outside that Consort Yang gave birth to a boy but, fearing he would be killed, switched him with a baby girl?”
Chai Yingluo shook her head: “I’ve heard that rumor too, but it’s even more absurd. How could Prince Qin’s many talented officials not think of this possibility? Consort Yang gave birth around the tenth day, and during those days, the Qin household sent countless people to surround her birthing chamber. The baby was examined as soon as it was born – if male, it would have been immediately executed to prevent future trouble. Fortunately, it truly was a daughter – the sixth daughter of the Prince of Hailing, the youngest lady now at Ganye Temple.”
Wei Shubin had seen that nine-year-old girl once or twice during her visits to Ganye Temple, remembering her three-knot hairstyle and ink-dot-like eyes, with large sweet, and lovely eyes, inheriting her mother’s beautiful features – she didn’t look switched at all. Indeed, Chai Yingluo continued: “The most vivid rumor wasn’t about ‘switching the dragon for a phoenix’ – when Fourth Aunt returned to her natal home to give birth, fearing loneliness and boredom, she had originally brought her son and daughter with her.”
Wei Shubin didn’t understand at first, but after thinking for a moment, her face gradually changed color:
“That son she brought to the Yang residence…”
“Correct.” Chai Yingluo looked at her and slowly said, “On the fourth day, when matters were settled in the palace, Prince Qin’s troops arrived at the Fifth Princess’s residence. When they entered the main gate, the Fifth Princess and her husband were in the main hall, and before the hall lay the corpse of a seven-year-old boy, said to be Prince Qi’s legitimate son, the Prince of Yuyang Li Chengluan – the Fifth Princess and her husband, fearing the palace coup would implicate their family, had acted first upon confirmation and killed Consort Yang’s son, presenting him to Second Uncle to show their loyalty.”
Wei Shubin closed her eyes for a moment, then asked after a silence:
“Was this the son rumored to have been switched?”
“Yes. It was hard to identify a child’s mutilated body. Over the years, rumors spread that Consort Yang begged the Fifth Princess and her husband to spare her son’s life, finding a boy of similar age to kill and dress in the Prince of Yuyang’s clothes as a substitute. The real Prince of Yuyang is said to still be alive today.”
Wei Shubin was speechless for a moment. Li Yuangui, who had been drinking, suddenly gave a cold laugh:
“It’s just gossip from petty people, completely unbelievable. You don’t understand Fifth Prince Consort Yang Shidao, but I do – he’s so cautious he fears a falling leaf might crack his head. He wouldn’t dare risk the execution of nine generations of his family! When blood flowed like a river at Xuanwu Gate, everyone in court and country feared for their lives. Never mind his niece’s son – even if it were his and Fifth Princess’s child if Prince Qin specifically demanded it, he would have handed them over obediently.”
His constant companion Yang Xinzhi was Yang Shidao’s son, so these impressions must have come from Yang Xinzhi’s mouth – and Yang Xinzhi probably had no love for his birth father and stepmother. As Wei Shubin thought this, Chai Yingluo continued:
“Yes, I don’t believe this rumor either. However, others say that Consort Yang held some major evidence against the Fifth Princess and her husband, something that would mean certain death if revealed, and used this to force them to save her son. Conveniently, there was a boy in the household born between Prince Consort Yang and a maid, about the same age as the Prince of Yuyang, who was already a thorn in Fifth Aunt’s side – they took the opportunity to kill him and present his body as a substitute.”
After relating the whole story, she smiled again: “Actually, these are all baseless rumors spread by ignorant people. Although that palace coup happened suddenly, the Qin household’s subsequent response was very thorough and meticulous. The legitimate son of Prince Qi was such an important figure – how could he be so easily substituted? Even when these rumors reached the Empress’s ears, she just laughed them off.”
“Besides, even if Prince Qi’s legitimate son had survived, what use would it be?” Li Yuangui shook his head. “Elder Brother – former Crown Prince Jiancheng – held the position of the legitimate eldest son, was benevolent, and had popular support. If his son had somehow survived, using that identity to cause waves might have had some hope. But Fourth Brother… even if he had lived until now, few would be willing to follow him.”
Prince Qi Li Yuanji was violent and unbridled, already notorious during the Wude years, and as only the fourth son, he had neither the qualification nor hope to compete for the throne. Spreading rumors that “Prince Qi’s legitimate son is still alive” was indeed useless. Wei Shubin casually said: “Since it’s just a rumor, then Consort Yang never did anything particularly courageous…”
“Not necessarily,” said Chai Yingluo. “These rumors spread widely within the palace. Before her marriage, Consort Yang was already famous for her beauty throughout the city, and many people knew of her. People enjoyed spreading this story because they all felt she was capable of doing such things. You should know that Fourth Uncle had a very difficult temperament, yet he always showed great affection for Fourth Aunt while he was alive – this couldn’t have been achieved through mere beauty and docility…”
As the three drank and chatted, the night grew deeper, but outside the windows, it gradually brightened, and strange sounds and smells drifted into the room.
Li Yuangui was the first to notice something wrong, putting down his wine bowl and going outside. The two women followed him, and looking up, they saw the eastern night sky had turned a pale red.
“Mistress… Mistress…”
A maid ran over in panic: “Terrible news! The Ganye Temple in the east… it’s… it’s on fire!”
Vol 1 – Chapter 21 Note:
The description of Consort Yang’s young daughter with “three hair knots and eyes like dots of ink” was inspired by Professor Yang Zhishui’s research on the characteristic hairstyle of young girls in medieval China known as “three-cornered knots”, similar to the appearance of the young girl in the “Pounding Silk” painting.