Wei Shubin’s eyes widened as she watched the beautiful woman approach with graceful steps, like a poisonous snake slithering toward her. She shuddered and stepped back involuntarily. But there was a wall behind her, leaving nowhere to retreat, and she could only let Consort Yin De’s heavy perfume swiftly envelop her.

“Your medicine box bears its maker’s mark—you can’t deny it,” the beautiful middle-aged woman smiled as she appraised Wei Shubin. “Your trusted attendant carried it all the way here. Upper Truth Master, please tell me, what medicine is this?”

With a sweep of her sleeve, Consort Yin De knocked the medicine box from Wei Shubin’s hands. The heavy lacquered box crashed to the ground with a clang, its lid springing open, spilling gold needles, moxa cones, fire stones, and medicine bottles across the floor.

The sudden loud noise startled Wei Shubin, who cried out “Ah!” and stumbled back against the wall.

Her face must have changed color, as Consort Yin De studied her with interest. However, the middle-aged beauty wasn’t done yet; she turned back, bent down, and picked up a celadon medicine bottle from the floor.

This bottle looked similar to the one that had contained the fake medicine last time. Consort Yin De pulled out the wooden stopper and poured it out, letting brownish-yellow powder scatter on the ground. Ignoring what it might be, she emptied the bottle, put her pill inside, and shook the bottle at Chai Yinglu, asking again:

“Upper Truth Master, please tell me, what medicine is this in your box?”

She must have planted some kind of poison, the type court physicians could easily identify. Chai Yinglu had been watching her actions impassively, and now sighed:

“Madam Yin, you weren’t this foolish before.”

“Oh?” Consort Yin De raised an eyebrow.

The Daoist priestess pointed at Wei Shubin:

“This is the beloved daughter of Minister Wei Zheng. Before Their Majesties, who do you think they’ll believe—Young Lady Wei’s testimony, or that of your lowborn servant girls?”

Consort Yin De was momentarily speechless, turning to look at Wei Shubin. Wei Shubin huddled in the corner with her head down, gritting her teeth in silence.

“Shubin, tell us what you just saw?”

Chai Yinglu’s voice was light and couldn’t hide her triumph. The answer would require no effort—she just needed to truthfully describe the scene she had witnessed. Wei Shubin bit her lip and didn’t respond.

“Shubin?”

A note of doubt had crept into the Daoist priestess’s urging voice. Wei Shubin just kept her head stubbornly down, looking at no one and saying nothing.

The rustle of clothes sounded, and though she didn’t see what Chai Yinglu was doing, she heard Consort Yin De suddenly command, “Seize her!”

The palace maids in the room rushed forward as one, and several serving women from outside the screen also burst in, pouncing on Chai Yinglu. The Daoist priestess was still struggling, shouting furiously between gasps: “You dare show such disrespect! You dare—Shubin—you—you dare—”

“Abbess Chai attempted to harm the Retired Emperor and has lost her mind!” Consort Yin De commanded sharply. “Take her out and bind her! Gag her! Don’t let her spout nonsense!”

A sharp cry rang out as a serving woman tore Chai Yinglu’s outer robe, and her headdress and hair bun were also pulled loose. While these strong middle-aged women didn’t openly strike the Retired Emperor’s granddaughter, under the combined twisting and clawing of more than ten pairs of hands, the Daoist priestess was soon disheveled and injured, her mouth stuffed with cloth.

Wei Shubin huddled in the corner, trembling as she watched her benefactor and savior being humiliated. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her knees could no longer support her weight as she collapsed to the ground. Chai Yinglu continued to struggle, her angry shouts broken and incoherent, but Wei Shubin knew they were directed at her, cursing her ingratitude and betrayal… But she truly could do nothing, only huddle with her arms around her shoulders, weeping like rain.

Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw distinctly striped colored skirts appear.

Consort Yin De knelt beside her, frowning, but her tone held genuine warmth and concern:

“Young Lady Wei, what’s the matter?”

What’s the matter… Wei Shubin raised her face, sniffling, looking at the beautiful countenance before her. Her mouth opened several times, but no sound came out. She took a deep breath, trying to find her tongue, but the result was another bout of choking sobs.

Covering her mouth with her shawl, she simply buried her entire face in her knees, feeling she could never face the world again. Consort Yin De didn’t press her but moved to sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and patting gently, like a mother comforting a child.

After crying for a while, feeling she had cried enough, Wei Shubin still didn’t dare raise her head, pleading softly through the tear-soaked shawl:

“Consort De… please… I… I don’t want to… go to Tibet… for the marriage alliance…”

“Oh,” Consort Yin De mused, “You’ve heard about that… Ah, truly nothing can be kept secret in this palace!”

“Please… help me…”

“It’s not easy, the Eastern Palace has already decided,” Consort Yin De sighed, lovingly stroking Wei Shubin’s neck. “No wonder you’re upset, such a young thing, having to marry so far away in those barbaric lands. Anyone would be. If it were my daughter, I’d cry myself to death.”

Wei Shubin raised her head to grab Consort Yin De’s sleeve, pleading through tears: “Please save me… I was wrong before, I misjudged… misjudged Upper Truth Master… She… she… I can only beg you, I’ll do anything, please save me…”

Consort Yin De turned her face slightly, with deep meaning:

“Misjudged Upper Truth Master? Poor child, what did she do to you? You’ve finally seen that little wretch’s true face?”

Wei Shubin nodded through tears, and after great effort, squeaked out in a voice as thin as a mosquito’s:

“I… I saw with my own eyes… she… she and…”

“She and?” Consort Yin De pressed in a lowered voice.

“She and… Fourteenth Lord… Prince Wu Yuangui… were intimate…”

[Historical Note: The system of marking artisans’ names on objects (“wu le gong ming”) had existed since the Spring and Autumn period and continued through the Tang Dynasty. Craftsmen’s marks were left on objects for accountability, sometimes including the owner’s name and item details. The Tang Dynasty gold and silver artifacts unearthed from the Hejiacun site in Shaanxi contain many such markings, especially on the well-preserved medical implements and equipment (many used for alchemy), with clear inscriptions. Those interested can visit the Hejiacun special exhibition at the Shaanxi History Museum.]