The brightening eastern light finally illuminated a large expanse of broken tiles and ruins, with black smoke rising from the charred wasteland.
In Ganye Temple’s once magnificent courtyards, almost all buildings had burned and collapsed, with only a few beams of the highest main hall barely maintaining their original shape. In the late winter and early spring season, the vegetation was dry, and the temple grounds were quite overgrown – once the fire started, it was practically impossible to extinguish, basically left to burn itself out. Near dawn, small snowflakes began to fall from the sky, which helped somewhat.
There were stationed troops outside the temple, and after news of the fire spread, the Northern Command’s Seven Garrisons also sent soldiers. Their priority was controlling the fire to prevent it from spreading elsewhere, especially to the imperial palace; second was rescuing people, naturally prioritizing the important princesses and noble ladies.
The fire raged all night. When dawn broke in the east, the garrison troops counted those rescued: Princess Xi Zheng and her four daughters were all safe, and four of the six daughters of the Prince of Hailing were also unharmed, but Princess Hailing Yang and her two birth daughters could not be found. A princess with eight young ladies and their serving maids were temporarily sheltered in an open area outside the temple, with tents set up for rest and recovery.
Wei Shubin, Chai Yingluo, and Li Yuangui rode over early in the morning to check on them, going directly to the shelter camp. In the still-falling snow, many people lay scattered in the open, some with burned hair and faces, some with twisted legs and scraped knees from fleeing, and some barely covered with torn cloth and felt. The air was filled with a burning stench and endless moans and cries.
The nine royal women were resting in the tent. They looked better, not as disheveled as the servants and guards outside, mostly with neat hair and clothes, gathered around an iron brazier, kneeling on felt mats to rest and whisper, with several young girls sleeping against their mothers and sisters.
“Elder Aunt…”
Chai Yingluo went straight to Zheng Guanyin, who sat in the center. She held her youngest daughter in her arms, her eyes and expression as cold as ever – apart from a few loose strands of hair at her temples, there was no sign she had just experienced a night of fleeing for her life.
“We’re all fine on my side. The fire started from the back courtyard, and we mothers and daughters escaped in time. In the east courtyard, Third Lady twisted her ankle, True Master should take a look – Princess Hailing and her two birth daughters, along with several maids serving them, didn’t escape.”
Wei Shubin’s heart sank. Last night while they were discussing the rumors about Princess Yang, she and her three daughters had been burned alive in their quarters.
Behind her, Li Yuangui suddenly spoke:
“Elder Sister-in-law, I don’t see Yi Niang’s Wet Nurse He Ba. Did she escape?”
Zheng Guanyin seemed startled, as if just remembering such a person existed, and shook her head: “I don’t know. She was kept locked in the woodshed in the back courtyard. In last night’s chaos, she probably didn’t survive.”
Li Yuangui nodded without further words and turned to stride out of the tent. By now Chai Yingluo had gone to examine the Prince of Hailing’s third daughter’s twisted foot, saying it wasn’t serious and would heal in a couple of days. This Third Lady was fifteen or sixteen, about Wei Shubin’s age, with dark rough skin and plain features, but she was sensible, enduring the foot pain without a sound while holding a little sister in her arms and patting her to sleep.
The tent flap lifted and an older maid entered, reporting to Zheng Guanyin and Chai Yingluo:
“We servants led the duty officer to the east courtyard and searched Lady Yang’s chambers thoroughly but found no burned bodies. We moved all the beams, screens, and cabinets, and there should be no places left where people could hide. When the fire started last night, Lady Yang and her daughters didn’t seem to have been in their rooms.”
So Princess Yang, her daughters, and maids weren’t burned to death, but had disappeared?
The women in the tent were all very surprised and began discussing in low voices. Chai Yingluo asked Zheng Guanyin: “Elder Aunt, did you see Fourth Aunt before the fire started last night?”
Zheng Guanyin shook her head: “The last time I saw her was when I passed by and greeted her while returning from answering your questions at the Buddha hall. After that, we each returned to our courtyards and didn’t meet again.”
That was all one or two days ago. Chai Yingluo frowned and asked the Prince of Hailing’s four daughters, who replied that yesterday morning Princess Yang had still eaten with them and given some instructions about “behaving and not causing trouble,” but no one had seen her or her birth daughter Fourth Lady and Sixth Lady after that.
“Mother lived with Fourth Sister and Sixth Sister in the main building of the east courtyard, separated from our side buildings by a moon-gate wall, unlike the west courtyard where Great Aunt lived with all of us together,” explained the Prince of Hailing Li Yuanji’s eldest illegitimate daughter. “Usually unless she summoned us, we didn’t go to her rooms to disturb her.”
So whether the three had left before the fire started, escaped during the fire, or been burned to ashes, was still unknown.
Zheng Guanyin had resumed her usual indifferent manner. When Chai Yingluo asked her a few more questions, she answered absent-mindedly, even saying she “hadn’t thought about it, you go investigate yourselves” regarding how the great fire started. The female Taoist was somewhat exasperated and shook her head as she walked out of the tent.
Wei Shubin followed her out and saw Chai Yingluo asking a garrison guard: “Who was your commanding officer on duty at Ganye Temple yesterday? I need to speak with him.” Before the guard could answer, there was suddenly a commotion from the far end of the camp, and someone came running breathlessly to report:
“The… the Empress’s phoenix carriage… has arrived!”
Empress Zhangsun was riding only in her usual curtained palace carriage without various ceremonial accompaniments – she must have rushed over upon hearing news of the Ganye Temple fire, with no time for preparations. She also went directly to the shelter camp, got out of her carriage, and entered the tent to first check on Zheng Guanyin and the nine royal ladies. Chai Yingluo and Wei Shubin followed into the tent, and after a round of kneeling, greetings, and comforting words were exchanged, the Empress’s attention quickly turned to the whereabouts of Princess Hailing Yang and her daughters.
By now Zhang Shigui, the Great General of the Right Palace Guard responsible for guarding the imperial gardens, had arrived and was kneeling outside the tent, separated by the curtain as he greeted the Empress and apologized, admitting “the crime of negligent guard duty deserves death.” The Empress cut him off, saying “The punishment of generals’ duties will be handled by court law, I won’t interfere. But Princess Yang and her daughters…”
The Empress’s complexion wasn’t good to begin with, her cheeks pale and bloodless, and as she frowned in thought, she looked even more haggard and weak. Chai Yingluo stepped forward to support her aunt’s elbow, whispering in her ear:
“Ganye Temple has watchtowers and guard posts outside, with clear views of all comings and goings. Yesterday’s guards should know about Princess Hailing and her daughters’ movements.”
Wei Shubin recalled that two days ago at Lizheng Hall, her father Wei Zheng had asked Prince Consort Chai Shao, guard Yang Xinzhi, and others about the security arrangements at Ganye Temple – it was indeed so. The Empress had heard this too, and prompted by Chai Yingluo, she asked Zhang Shigui outside the tent. Zhang Shigui questioned those around him, and after some commotion outside, they found a guard who had been on duty yesterday to report.
“Yesterday I was- was standing in the north- northeast watch- watchtower, in the afternoon I saw- saw…”
The guard, either extremely nervous or naturally stuttering, knelt outside the tent and stammered for a long while before finally explaining: After lunch, he saw two carriages stopped outside Ganye Temple’s gate, and several men and women carrying some bundles got into the carriages and left. However, the temple gate was guarded, and people leaving the temple needed to show passes and credentials. He was stationed in the watchtower quite far away, so he couldn’t see the more detailed specifics.
Then what about the guards stationed at Ganye Temple’s gate yesterday noon – Zhang Shigui came to report that he had found out that duty officer Cao Qin had led several off-duty guards to rush into the courtyard to rescue people when the fire was discovered in the evening, but unfortunately was overcome by smoke and remains barely alive. The two gate guards from noon were with him – one dead and one injured and unconscious.
In other words, it could be confirmed that Princess Yang and her three daughters had left Ganye Temple yesterday afternoon, but how they left and where they went was still unclear.
First Li Wanxi, the Lady of Linfen, died violently at her wedding, then Princess Hailing Yang and her daughters quietly left, and that night a great fire destroyed the buildings – who knew how many strange secrets were still buried in Ganye Temple… but it didn’t matter now, since everything had burned to nothing.
The Empress asked about the cause of the fire, and Zhang Shigui replied from outside the tent: They could only confirm it started in the wild grass of the back courtyard. That night, guards in the northwest tower saw flickering light outside the courtyard wall, and when they called out, the fire exploded into a fireball, as if oil had been poured on the grass beforehand. The tower guards couldn’t make out the arsonist’s figure, only shot some crossbow arrows in their direction before going to fight the fire and rescue people – they would have to wait for a detailed investigation to track down the culprit.
Standing and talking through the curtain to men outside for so long, the Empress showed signs of fatigue. Chai Yingluo supported her and urged: “The situation here is initially settled, let the officials handle the rest slowly. Your Majesty’s health is most important – let’s return to the palace to rest.”
“I feel very uneasy,” the Empress shook her head. “I keep feeling this fire is somehow connected to Yi Niang’s death, Fourth Sister-in-law’s disappearance, and even your rescue of Seventeenth Sister last night. Ah, His Majesty is fully focused on the northwestern campaign, yet I cannot keep the rear palace peaceful – I’m truly incompetent and ashamed…”
“Your Majesty…” Just as Chai Yingluo was about to comfort her, a call came from outside the tent: “Sister Ying!”
It was Li Yuangui’s voice. He had been gone for a while, and upon returning sought Chai Yingluo first, but after calling out once he fell silent, apparently hearing something from Zhang Shigui, as his excited tone changed to cautious solemnity:
“Your humble servant Yuangui greets the Empress. I found the body of Yi Niang’s Wet Nurse He Ba in the fire, and the jade ring she swallowed… was also found.”
So that’s what he had been doing.
Thinking about how Li Yuangui “found” the jade ring inside He Ba’s body, Wei Shubin felt nauseated. Empress Zhangsun also frowned slightly and said: “Prince Wu, come in to speak.”
Li Yuangui lifted the curtain and entered the tent, properly kneeling in greeting. A thin layer of snow had fallen on his headband and shoulders. Chai Yingluo, who had been closely supporting the Empress, slightly loosened her grip and moved a small step to the side, avoiding directly receiving the prince’s kowtow. The Empress glanced at her niece with an approving smile, then said to Li Yuangui:
“Fourteenth Brother, no need for such ceremony, please rise. You mentioned a ring – is this the male token found in Yi Niang’s dowry?”
“Yes.” Li Yuangui took out a small object wrapped in a handkerchief from his robes, opened it, hesitated, and wiped it again with the handkerchief before presenting it to the Empress with both hands.
This was indeed the ancient-style jade ring Wei Shubin had seen in Li Wanxi’s room two days ago – large and thick, with one side rising at an angle, notches carved below the slope, and a hole on the other side for threading silk cord. It was pale green overall, though the blood stain around its rim seemed somewhat larger and darker than before. Li Yuangui had cleaned it after retrieving it from He Ba’s remains – the jade surface was very clean, its luster still pure and smooth.
Empress Zhangsun slowly raised her hand to pick up the jade ring from Li Yuangui’s palm, bringing it close to examine carefully. Her thin fingers were very steady, her face expressionless as she bit her lower lip slightly, only her trembling eyelashes betraying her exhaustion. Chai Yingluo supported her again, saying softly: “Aunt, even if you won’t return to the palace, at least rest in your carriage for a while – you’ve stood too long in this stuffy place.”
The Empress stared for another moment before nodding and letting her niece help her walk out. Li Yuangui hurried to lift the tent curtain, calling for the men outside to make way and bring the imperial carriage over. The female Taoist and several palace maids helped the Empress into the carriage to sit.
“Fourteenth Brother,” through the window curtain, the Empress called Li Yuangui over again to ask: “Yi Niang’s wet nurse said she never stepped outside the temple gates in nine years – is this true? Besides He Ba, did anyone else say this?”
“In reply to Your Majesty, we also questioned the other maids and Princess Xi Zheng. No one mentioned Yi Niang leaving the temple – most said she was very quiet and chaste, not associating with outsiders.”
“Then before the wedding, no men entered Ganye Temple?”
“Uh…” Li Yuangui thought for a moment. “Besides craftsmen and laborers repairing the buildings and courtyards, the only men who entered Ganye Temple were probably… us.”
He had been forced to officiate Yi Niang’s wedding, which naturally required handling various matters beforehand, necessitating visits to the temple. The Empress spoke from inside the carriage: “You understand my meaning – that’s not what I meant. The imperial garden’s security is strict, I shouldn’t have any doubts, but Fourteenth Brother, you know that from the fourth year of Zhenguan until last year, His Majesty spent several months traveling each year, taking most of the imperial guards with him…”
Li Yuangui nodded silently. Listening beside them, Wei Shubin also understood the Empress’s meaning. In the past two or three years when the Emperor and Empress went out to avoid the summer heat, they always took large numbers of imperial guards, leaving even the Taiji Palace and Eastern Palace short-staffed. In the imperial gardens’ temples and monasteries, except for Da’an Palace where the Emperor Emeritus lived which couldn’t be neglected, guard posts elsewhere were sparsely manned. If someone said an outsider had secretly entered Ganye Temple during that time to meet Yi Niang… one couldn’t deny such a possibility.
But looking at it another way, would anyone have had an intimate relationship with Yi Niang?
Li Wanxi didn’t have her fourth aunt’s otherworldly beauty. Though this orphaned princess was given a noble title and considerable dowry, even marrying her properly would bring little benefit in terms of power or wealth – it would likely bring more trouble due to her status.
If it were a secret affair, the man wouldn’t even get her title and dowry, and both would face enormous risks. What advantage did Yi Niang have that would make a man so deeply in love with her that he would even kill when she was to be married?
Thinking it through, Li Wanxi’s only distinguishing feature was probably her special status. The daughter of the former Crown Prince Li Jiancheng who was deposed and died, a pitiful fallen princess – quite a few men in the world loved to fantasize about such women, imagining themselves as great heroes rescuing ill-fated beauties…
Wei Shubin recalled the love poems she and Chai Yingluo had found in Yi Niang’s former residence, with handwriting very similar to Yi Niang’s suicide note. If those romantic poems and songs were copied by Yi Niang’s hand, then this poor young woman had indeed experienced stirrings of love, and the original scrolls of those passionate poems might even have been secretly brought to her by her lover…
“This case… I think we should stop here. No more investigation.”
Vol 1 – Chapter 22 Note:
Empress Zhangsun’s statement that “from the fourth to eighth year of Zhenguan, His Majesty spent several months traveling each year” is based on historical records.
From the “Basic Annals of Taizong” in the Old Book of Tang:
In the fourth year, winter tenth month, day renwu: Visited Longzhou, granted special pardons to Long and Qi prefectures, giving them one year of tax exemption. Day xinchou: Hunted at Guiquan Valley. Day jiachen: Hunted at Yulong River, personally shot deer, and presented them to Da’an Palace. Day jiazi: Returned from Longzhou.
In the fifth year, the twelfth month, day renyin: Visited the hot springs. Day guimao: Hunted at Mount Li. Day bingwu: Bestowed silk on the elderly of Xinfeng according to rank. Day wushen: Returned from the hot springs.
In the sixth year, third month, day wuchen: Visited Jiucheng Palace… Tenth month, day yimao: Returned from Jiucheng Palace. (Stayed at Jiucheng Palace for seven months this year)
In the seventh year, summer fifth month, day guiwei: Visited Jiucheng Palace… Winter tenth month, day gengshen: Returned from Jiucheng Palace. (Five months this year)
In the eighth year, third month, day gengchen: Visited Jiucheng Palace… Winter tenth month, day jiazi: Returned from Jiucheng Palace. (Another seven months of recuperation this year – such happy corrupt official travel at public expense!)