“Didn’t the Emperor say that the outer court is your domain, while the inner palace falls under this dowager’s management?” Empress Dowager Wen looked at Gu Chaobei’s pale face and smiled lightly. “This dowager is precisely managing it. Why is the Emperor so alarmed?”

“Is Mother Empress’s so-called management to massacre Xiuzhuang Palace and kill completely innocent consorts?” Gu Chaobei looked at her, his voice hoarse and cold. “Mother Empress is also a woman—how can you be so ruthless?”

Empress Dowager Wen’s eyes narrowed slightly. “This dowager is purging the treacherous ministers at the Emperor’s side. Without these seductive foxes in the harem speaking nonsense, the Emperor would not have been bewitched into wanting to launch grand new policies in the outer court. Does the Emperor know that ancestral laws are the rules passed down by our forebears? How long have you sat on the throne? Yet you already think of overthrowing our ancestors?”

Gu Chaobei lowered his eyes. “May this son ask Mother Empress one question—is this imperial palace still the same as when our ancestors were alive?”

Empress Dowager Wen paused, frowning. “Of course not. The palace halls deteriorate—naturally they should be renovated after so many years.”

“Ancestral rules are the same,” the Emperor said softly. “So much time has already passed. Things covered in old dust naturally are not suitable for present use. Just as palace halls must be renovated before people can continue to live in them, governmental decrees should also be renovated.”

“You… you insolent!” Empress Dowager Wen had not expected him to say such things. Her expression darkened, and finding herself at a loss for how to refute him, she merely waved her hand and smashed her teacup down in fury. “This is because this dowager failed to teach you properly, letting you become so arrogant the moment you warmed the dragon throne! There is only Consort Zhuang in Xiuzhuang Palace—Consort Yan is still there, is she not? The Emperor may go to court tomorrow. This dowager will teach her properly how she should serve the Emperor!”

Gu Chaobei clenched his hands. “Mother Empress, how innocent are the consorts? Mother Empress also came from the harem—why make difficulties for women?”

“If this dowager does not make difficulties for them, then won’t the Emperor make difficulties for this dowager?” Empress Dowager Wen laughed coldly. “Do not fear—the Emperor’s harem will never lack consorts. Now that this Consort Zhuang is gone, this dowager will have Consort Shen released from the Cold Palace to continue serving.”

Gu Chaobei took a deep breath.

The palace hall was quiet for a long time. Consort Zhuang’s icy body leaned against his chest, her silk sleeves slightly cold, the chill penetrating to the bone.

“Tomorrow, this son will not attend court.” After a long while, Gu Chaobei finally said in a low voice, “As for the new policies, Mother Empress may simply issue orders according to your wishes.”

Empress Dowager Wen paused, her entire body relaxing as she leaned back on the soft couch and laughed lightly. “The Emperor has come to his senses?”

“I have come to my senses.” Gu Chaobei’s clenched hands did not loosen. Holding Consort Zhuang tightly, he said, “I will go arrange Consort Zhuang’s burial rites.”

“Mm, this child is rather pitiable.” Empress Dowager Wen now showed compassion, her face benevolent as she said, “Let her be interred with the honors befitting a Noble Consort.”

“This son thanks Mother Empress.” Gu Chaobei bowed to Empress Dowager Wen, secured Consort Zhuang in his arms, turned, and walked step by step out of the Eastern Palace. The expression on his face was one Zhuiyun had never seen before—cold as deep winter wind, all of it blowing into his eyes and transforming into overwhelming snow, falling piece by piece.

Gu Chaobei was filled with regret. He had never done anything that made him regret like this before. He had already anticipated the consequences of angering Empress Dowager Wen and had General Lian secretly help protect the various senior ministers.

But how had he failed to think of the harem in time?

Yan’er was safe, but Consort Zhuang was dead. As Emperor, not one thing he had promised White Fox had he given her. She had helped him so many times, yet now she died so miserably.

“Your Majesty, let this subordinate have a carriage come to receive Her Ladyship’s body.” Zhuiyun spoke softly.

A dead body was very heavy—the Emperor had been carrying her long enough already.

“No need. I will accompany her on this final journey.” Gu Chaobei moved past Zhuiyun’s outstretched hand, holding Consort Zhuang as he walked step by step into the distance along the palace road.

“Compared to His Majesty and Consort Zhuang, you should worry about yourself instead.” Han Jiangxue looked at Shen Guiyan, frowning. “The physician says your pregnancy is not very stable—you’ve worried excessively and suffered a fright. If you don’t rest properly, something will happen.”

Shen Guiyan gazed at the doorway, shaking her head. It was already afternoon, and still no news had emerged from the palace.

After leaving her with the Han household, Yuwen Changqing had entered the palace again, probably to report back to the Empress Dowager. By bringing her back to the Yuwen residence, he had risked his life—if Empress Dowager Wen found out, the Yuwen family would certainly suffer.

Shen Guiyan suddenly understood clearly that she truly was a calamity wherever she went, implicating those around her.

“The General has returned.” Baoshan stood at the doorway. The moment she saw Yuwen Changqing’s shadow, she immediately called into the room.

Shen Guiyan shot to her feet, watching Yuwen Changqing enter and hurrying toward him. “How is it?”

Yuwen Changqing averted his eyes, not looking at her, only saying, “Your Ladyship, please change into palace maid’s clothing and bring Baoshan with you.”

Palace maid’s clothing had already been handed over. Shen Guiyan bit her lip and went with Baoshan to the inner chamber to change. When they emerged, she once again looked as she had when serving as a palace maid in the Northern Palace.

“Let us go.” Yuwen Changqing said nothing more, took two black cloaks for them, and led them out to board the carriage.

The direction they traveled was not toward the imperial palace.

The unease in her heart was finally confirmed when she saw the funeral procession ahead.

A long funeral procession, with yellow wind-shields at the front. Paper money flying through the sky scattered along the entire route like falling snow. At the very front of the procession was a tall horse bearing the current Emperor.

“Consort Zhuang has already passed. Empress Dowager Wen ordered that she be buried with the honors of a Noble Consort. His Majesty should not have come, but he still came despite all advice, saying he must accompany Consort Zhuang on this journey.” Yuwen Changqing looked at Shen Guiyan, saying softly, “In a moment, Your Ladyship may return with His Majesty in the capacity of a palace maid.”

“How did she die?” Shen Guiyan turned to stare blankly at Yuwen Changqing. “When I left, she said she knew martial arts.”

Yuwen Changqing pressed his lips together, closing his eyes. “With so many people in the palace, knowing martial arts only meant her struggle was more violent. If Empress Dowager Wen wanted her dead, there was no way she could have survived.”

“What about me?” Shen Guiyan raised her hand and pointed at herself. “The Empress Dowager should have wanted me dead too.”

Yuwen Changqing fell silent.

It was Consort Zhuang who had saved her with her life—otherwise she too would not have survived.

Gu Chaobei watched the group droning on reciting elegies. He reached out and shoved the eunuch aside, saying in a deep voice, “She never liked these things in life—now that she’s dead, stop bothering her. Move aside.”

The coffin was lowered into the grave. The shoved eunuch was angry but dared not speak, only thinking that upon returning to the Empress Dowager’s palace, he would certainly have a few words to say.

The monument had not yet been carved, and the burial should not have been so hasty. But the Emperor demanded it—even if they had to erect a blank stone first, the deceased must be laid to rest.

The honors befitting a Noble Consort—who cared? Dead was dead. A hundred years hence, all would be white bones and a handful of yellow earth. And the living should seek justice for the dead.

The grave mound completed, the coffin interred, the Emperor spoke. “All of you, return. Not one person is to remain.”

The eunuchs and palace maids who had come from the palace, including the one who recited the elegy, all returned along the original path. In the imperial burial grounds among the dragon veins, only Zhuiyun standing to one side and Yuwen Changqing’s carriage remained.

Shen Guiyan descended from the carriage and glanced at Gu Chaobei. He knelt on one knee before Consort Zhuang’s grave, his hand resting on the blank tombstone, utterly motionless.

“Your Majesty.”

Hearing her voice, Gu Chaobei did not turn around. He only smiled and spoke. “Yan’er, look—I have caused someone’s death.”

Had it not been for that one sentence of his, Consort Zhuang might not have died.

Shen Guiyan knelt down as well, closing her eyes. “This consort also bears lives on her conscience. We cannot let them all die in vain. If we made a mistake once, we simply must not make the same mistake again next time—wouldn’t that be good?”

Gu Chaobei laughed softly, but his eyes reddened. “If we make no more mistakes in the future, can those who are gone return?”

Something ice-cold fell on the back of her hand. Shen Guiyan looked up, somewhat shocked as she watched Gu Chaobei.

He was actually crying.

For a moment she did not know what to say. She had seen most of Gu Chaobei’s plans and could guess the rest. She thought him a man of deep foresight and calculation, so she trusted him, waited for him.

But with these tears, her heart suddenly felt as though it were being wrung with pain. At his side she could do nothing—she could only know. White Fox was willing to die for him, Consort Hua and Consort Xi were willing to enter that bottomless dark harem for him. And her?

What had she done?

Drawing her hand back, Shen Guiyan took a deep breath and smiled with difficulty. “Doesn’t Your Majesty still plan to meet with Empress Dowager Nian? If you kneel here too long and fall ill, what would we do?”

Gu Chaobei stared at the tombstone, nodding blankly. “True, I still have so many things to do.”

Now that Consort Zhuang was gone, he should act even more swiftly.

“General Yuwen.”

Yuwen Changqing had been standing behind them for a long time, watching their backs in silence. Only when the Emperor called did he respond. “This minister has already prepared everything.”

The day when the foreign nations would come to pay tribute was not far off. They must deal with everything that needed dealing with before then. Otherwise, if someone took advantage of the opening, that would not be something they wished to see.

Gu Chaobei stood up, his face already completely free of any trace of earlier tears. “Tomorrow there will be no morning court. The lesson the Empress Dowager has taught me—if I do not return it to her, she will likely still think this is the Wen family’s empire.”

Yuwen Changqing cupped his hands in silence.

“Yan’er, return to the palace with me. These next few days, stay at my side as a small palace maid.” Gu Chaobei turned his head, smiling as he extended his hand toward her. “I will show you how I took hold of this empire.”

Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together, placed her hand in his palm, and stood with him.

“Had Yan’er not reminded me, I would have nearly forgotten.” Gu Chaobei walked toward his horse. “We must return to see Empress Dowager Nian.”

Empress Dowager Nian—Nian Chanjuan.

Wen Xiuli must be laughing quite brazenly in the Eastern Palace, mustn’t she? He had yielded today, saying he would not attend morning court tomorrow. Well then, he would wait and see how Empress Dowager Wen would obstruct the promulgation of his new policies at tomorrow’s morning court.

In the Northern Palace, Empress Dowager Nian watched the restless Duanwen and smiled lightly. “Why are you so anxious? The good show has only just begun.”

Duanwen frowned. “Empress Dowager Wen has massacred Xiuzhuang Palace, yet Mother Empress, how can you still sit still? What if your unborn grandson is harmed?”