“Your Highness!”
Li Yuanxu called out and jumped up, chasing after the Crown Prince as he left the chamber, presumably still hoping to persuade him to change his mind… but it was useless. Chai Yinglu watched the uncle and nephew disappear through the door, then turned back, surprisingly offering a compassionate smile to Wei Shubin:
“With Fourteenth Uncle’s temperament, I’m afraid he’ll suffer setbacks in the future. Shubin, please take good care of him… ah, but we can’t count on you either, you’re not much better than him. I had thought Yang Da was at least a steady person, but he…”
The Daoist priestess sighed and moved forward, kneeling before the Empress’s couch:
“Your niece begs Aunt for one final grace… the medicine I prepared for His Majesty when he was gravely ill at Jiucheng Palace two years ago—please grant it to me now.”
Empress Zhangsun had been watching her son’s departing figure, her expression complex—perhaps approval, perhaps pity, perhaps disappointment or disdain—but all color had drained from her face. Hearing her niece’s request, her trembling hands moved to untie the medicine pouch at her waist, requiring Su Lingyu’s help to open it. The Empress took out a small brocade box and opened the lid, revealing three or four small black pills.
Chai Yinglu smiled faintly and reached directly for the box, but the Empress gently blocked her:
“Leave me two pills… I still need them.”
“Ah,” the Daoist priestess looked up at the Empress’s complexion and smiled. “Forgive Yinglu’s boldness, but Aunt probably… won’t need to trouble yourself with this.”
Was she saying the Empress wouldn’t live much longer anyway… Indeed, the dying have no taboos. The Empress gazed at her for a moment, and rather than anger, she smiled:
“Didn’t you say this medicine was clean, that taking it wouldn’t cause much suffering? I don’t want to linger too long in pain either… In the netherworld, you and your mother will both be strong and healthy, while I’ll be all broken bones and illness, making it inconvenient even to sit together.”
“Who can say what the netherworld is really like? Aunt has never believed in such things anyway.” Chai Yinglu smiled, then suddenly added: “Though keeping two pills is good—if Second Uncle acts foolishly and beds someone else, Aunt, you can give him—”
She didn’t finish her sentence, bursting into laughter until she couldn’t sit straight. The Empress also laughed and started to scold, “Nonsense—”
Before she could complete the word, the medicine box clattered to the floor as she covered her mouth and nose, finally unable to hold back her tears.
Crown Princess Su called out “Mother” while embracing and comforting the Empress. Chai Yinglu sighed deeply, picked up the pills, and returned them to the box, keeping two in her hand, then respectfully bowed twice to the Empress before rising and walking outside.
Wei Shubin, who had been crying until she could barely move, struggled to stand and called out “Sister Ying” in a hoarse voice as she followed her out. As soon as she stepped outside, the sunlight pierced her eyes, nearly making her faint.
Grabbing onto a pillar and railing just in time, she slowly lowered herself to sit in the surrounding darkness, closing her eyes, knowing that kneeling too long and emotional turmoil had caused temporary blindness and weakness that would pass with rest. Amid the noisy surroundings, several women below were chattering about something, and strangely, their words drifted up to her ears, gradually becoming clear:
“…she’s the current Duke Guanguo’s cousin, her father was the Duke’s blood Second Uncle, named Yang Da, enfeoffed as Duke Suining… Her looks weren’t bad, just her reputation and character were poor. She stayed at home until her forties before reluctantly marrying the old Wu man as his second wife. Her fate wasn’t good either—she bore three children, all girls. The Wu family had sons from the first wife, and when the old man died, didn’t the household turn upside down…”
“I heard that old Wu’s son-in-law fell ill from crying too much over the Supreme Emperor’s death. He counts as a loyal minister then? No wonder—he came from such humble origins, a merchant from Bingzhou, climbing the social ladder, becoming a high official in the new dynasty, and even marrying a woman from a prestigious Central Plains family. His entire life’s fortune came from the Supreme Emperor’s patronage…”
“Indeed. His death brought peace at least, leaving his second wife with three daughters in Jingzhou, bullied by the first wife’s son. How could they leave a Yang family daughter unprotected out there? The Duke was kind-hearted, writing to call his cousin and her daughters back to Beijing to live with the main family. Later, the three young Miss Wus will be married off from the main family… I heard all three girls are quite beautiful, worthy of consideration for palace selection…”
A pair of hands reached out to support Wei Shubin’s shoulders. She opened her eyes to see Li Yuanxu, his face also streaked with tears and eyes swollen. After much effort, she asked hoarsely:
“The Crown Prince…?”
Li Yuanxu shook his head and helped her up, letting her lean on his arm as they slowly walked downstairs.
Many of the noble ladies had already left Wanshan Nunnery, but over ten carriages remained outside the gate. The carts were loaded with luggage, and the procession displayed banners with text like “Qiao Duke’s Mansion.” The servants and maids all looked dejected and at a loss. After descending to the ground floor, Wei Shubin could no longer see beyond the temple walls. The serving maids and nuns in the courtyard made way for the young couple as Li Yuanxu supported her directly toward the main hall.
Wei Shubin felt as if the women above—Sima Lingji, Empress Xiao, Tuyuhun Queen Guanniang, and others—were all gazing down at the masses below, their expressionless faces growing increasingly blurred in her mind. The only warmth in this world came from the young lord’s supporting arm around her, and his support provided the only strength that allowed her to reach the steps of the main hall.
But she could no longer climb the steps, only stand in the long shadow of the flying eaves, gazing inside. In the deep, lightless darkness, she thought she saw a figure with white robes and long hair, lying quietly on the ground, having taken their own life.
Suddenly, a gust of musty wind arose beside her as a spotted, plump hunting leopard darted past Wei Shubin and Li Yuanxu, bounding to the entrance of the main hall, where it paced without entering, whimpering softly.
(End of Main Text)