Mingtan didn’t know how long she had slept. She seemed to have fallen into an incredibly long dream.
In her dream, she saw her father pushing her on a swing when she was young. The swing soared so high that it felt as if it could fly over the high walls of the marquis’s mansion. She could see the swaying willow catkins of summer, the golden ginkgo leaves of autumn, and the fluttering snow of winter in the capital city.
In the blink of an eye, the scene changed to her coming-of-age ceremony. Brilliant pearls adorned the room filled with distinguished guests. She wore an elaborate and vibrant brocade dress, its golden orioles perched on cardamom branches intricately detailed. The hairpin’s southern pearls gleamed with a clear, lustrous sheen.
Before she could approach the ceremony master, the scene shifted hazily to her wedding day.
The room blazed with auspicious red. Her husband held the ceremonial scale and lifted her crimson veil. They exchanged cups, and then, with lowered head and trepidation, she began to untie his jade belt.
Suddenly, a cold arrow shot through the window. She stared at it, frozen, as her husband abruptly moved to shield her—
“Husband!” Mingtan’s eyes flew open.
For a moment, her vision was blank. As her sight returned, she found herself staring at a pale pink canopy.
It was just a dream. Thank goodness, only a dream.
Her heart raced, and a thin layer of sweat covered her back. When she tried to sit up, a sharp pain in her shoulder made her face turn pale. She slowly eased back down, finding a position that alleviated the pain, and dared not move.
“My lady, you’re awake!” Lü’e had just entered to change the water. Hearing movement, she rushed forward, covering her mouth in disbelief, her eyes reddening. “My lady, you’re finally awake! I was so worried!”
“It’s nothing…” Mingtan’s throat was parched, her voice barely audible, her body weak.
Seeing her furrowed brow and instinctive swallowing, Lü’e, amid her joy and panic, remembered to help her drink some water to soothe her throat.
“Here, my lady, drink slowly.”
After a few sips, Mingtan felt revived, her voice returning.
“Am I still… in Bieyu Tower?” The curtains and room looked identical to what she remembered before losing consciousness.
Lü’e nodded quickly: “Imperial Physician Feng said you shouldn’t be moved before waking. You’ve just been detoxified and are very weak. The jostling of a carriage might reopen your wound. So His Highness sealed off Bieyu Tower for your recovery. Don’t worry, all the attendants inside and out are from our prince’s manor. Those disreputable women won’t come near you, and outsiders won’t know you’re here.” She explained, thinking Mingtan might find the brothel distasteful.
However, Mingtan only focused on one point: “I was poisoned?”
“Yes, the arrow was laced with poison. Fortunately, Imperial Physician Feng is highly skilled, and His Highness quickly sealed your acupoints, preventing the poison from spreading.” Lü’e looked at her with concern. “But the physician said this poisoned arrow has greatly weakened you. Even after your wound heals, you’ll need at least a year or more to fully recover. And your right hand—you must never do needlework for long periods again. We’re lucky you survived. If the arrow had struck lower, I don’t know how I could go on living!”
Mingtan was about to comfort her when something flashed through her mind. She asked, “How long have I been unconscious?”
“You’ve been asleep for five whole days! I almost thought you’d never wake up!” Lü’e replied, wiping tears from her eyes.
Five days?
Mingtan was stunned.
“Then, as my husband… has His Highness already left for battle?”
“The army departed five days ago, but since you hadn’t woken, His Highness stayed behind to care for you. However, he must leave tonight or he won’t catch up with the troops…” Lü’e suddenly slapped her forehead. “Oh no! His Highness just checked on you and saw you weren’t awake, so he went to change into his armor. He hasn’t left already, has he?”
She hurriedly stood up. “I must go inform His Highness. He’s been watching over you these past few days. You hadn’t woken, but if he knows you’re awake before he leaves, he’ll surely feel more at ease on the battlefield. Oh, and I must send word to the Marquis and his wife…”
Mingtan was still processing the news of her husband’s imminent departure when she belatedly registered Lü’e’s words. “What did you just say? The Marquis and his wife?”
Lü’e realized her oversight: “Oh, look at me! I was so excited I forgot to tell you—your father has been cleared of all charges!” She said joyfully, “The treason accusation was a plot by the Empress Dowager. Those letters were forged. It wasn’t your father who committed treason, but remnants of the Sujia faction and your father’s former subordinate, the current Yangxi Road Commander, Guo… Guo Bingmao! Yes, that’s his name. The Ministry of Justice has uncovered the truth and cleared your father’s name!”
Mingtan’s thoughts drifted upon hearing this news.
So, was her father’s arrest truly a temporary measure, or had he ultimately shown mercy to the Jingan Marquis’s household?
While Mingtan was lost in thought, Lü’e had already left to spread the news.
Jiang Xu, leading a small troop, was about to leave the city when he heard from Lü’e that Mingtan had awakened. He raised his hand to signal the group to stop and said in a deep voice, “We depart in half an hour.” With that, he smoothly dismounted and, dressed in full military attire, went directly to see Mingtan.
Soon after, Jiang Xu entered the room.
Mingtan looked up, meeting Jiang Xu’s gaze from across the room. He was characteristically silent as he walked to the bedside and sat down quietly.
“How do you feel?” His voice was slightly hoarse.
Mingtan didn’t respond, turning to face the inner side of the bed despite the pain.
Jiang Xu gently turned her back: “Lying that way will aggravate your wound.”
Mingtan didn’t argue, but remained silent, avoiding his gaze.
He studied her for a moment, brushing away stray hairs from her thin face. In a measured tone, he said, “In half an hour, I must leave the city. This campaign could last anywhere from six months to a year. There are some things I should explain to you, whether you believe me or not.
“Your father’s situation was part of a strategic plan, which he was aware of and fully cooperated with. The alleged treasonous letters were crafted by your father himself. The matter was too significant to risk any misstep that might alert our enemies, so we had to keep it secret. My delay in returning to the manor after coming back to the capital was to lure out the Empress Dowager’s elite archers. I never intended to scheme against the Jingan Marquis’s household.”
After a pause, he added, “At least, not anymore.”
He explained that during the autumn hunt, he had sent Jinyun Guards to Yangxi Road to investigate Guo Bingmao’s communications with the Behe.
It turned out that the Behe had evidence of Guo Bingmao accepting bribes in Yangxi Road and used this to blackmail him into cooperation, along with promises of substantial wealth. However, Guo Bingmao held no real power. The Behe’s true target for collaboration was the actual authority in Yangxi Road, Ming Tingyuan.
After uncovering the details of this affair, Emperor Chengkang summoned Ming Tingyuan to the palace.
According to Emperor Chengkang’s plan, since the Behe had such intentions, it would be better to feign cooperation, probe their true strength, gather intelligence, and use the charge of treason to create a justifiable reason for Daxian to preemptively launch a military campaign.
Once the army was deployed and the situation irreversible, the blame could be shifted to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager had committed numerous evil deeds, and it was clear her time was running out. It wouldn’t do for her past crimes to be borne solely by the Su family while she was buried in the imperial mausoleum with full honors as a dowager empress.
However, an empress dowager couldn’t be easily touched. Previously, when the Su family attempted a palace coup, the entire clan was punished, yet the Empress Dowager merely retreated to Shoukang Palace, emerging unscathed. Upon careful consideration, only an unforgivable crime like treason could ensure the Empress Dowager received her due punishment.
Mingtan remained silent for a while before asking, “You say not anymore, so does that mean you did before?”
Some things were quite obvious. The previous imperial decree for their marriage had been a competition between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. The Emperor, uneasy about her father’s extensive military power but unable to suppress it immediately, and not wanting her father to be drawn to the Empress Dowager’s side, had preemptively arranged this marriage. However, Mingtan now realized that in securing this marriage, the Emperor might not have been seeking an alliance, but rather the complete removal of her father’s influence.
Jiang Xu remained silent, which was as good as an admission.
Mingtan continued calmly, “In the matter of treason, it seems my father had no choice but to cooperate. If he complied obediently, there would still be room for maneuver, as we see today. If he refused to cooperate, the charge could easily have been made to stick to him. This half-true, half-false strategy also serves as a warning to my father that a monarch can never fully trust a courtier who holds significant military power. The sensible course of action after this affair would be to relinquish military authority. Am I correct?”
“It’s not as you think.”
“Then how is it?”
Jiang Xu found himself unable to explain because Emperor Chengkang might indeed have had such intentions.
The Emperor was wary of the Jingan Marquis. Even knowing he harbored no rebellious thoughts, the Emperor would only feel truly at ease after stripping him of his military power. This entire affair, though ostensibly a strategic ploy, could well have been designed to make the Jingan Marquis acutely aware of how much a ruler distrusts a powerful minister, serving as a tacit suggestion for him to surrender his authority.
The half-hour passed in mutual silence. From below came the signal from the commanders. Jiang Xu stood up, gazing intently at Mingtan, and said in a deep voice, “Regardless of the past or how you perceive it, I care for you deeply. As long as you remain the Princess of Beiding, I will spare no effort to ensure the Jingan Marquis’s household retains its honor and glory.”