But Madam Hua was not the sort of woman who merely spun around within her own courtyard all day like Su Shi.

She herself was deeply learned, and having accompanied her father-in-law the Libationer and her husband the Grand Scholar, she moved in circles of great Confucian scholars and learned men.

Madam Hua even frequently read to the Empress Dowager for amusement and walked freely within the palace — a truly accomplished and talented woman.

That day in the meditation hall, Noble Consort Jing’s attempt to make things difficult for Chu Shi had all been witnessed by Madam Hua.

If Aide Situ had not come in time to rescue her, how perilous would Chu Niangzi’s situation have been? She might have lost her life inside the imperial city.

Madam Hua had been puzzled at the time — why did Noble Consort Jing keep hounding Chu Niangzi and Tao Xiaojie?

When Tao Huiru and Su Shi came today, bringing the first Xie daughter to ask her to be a mediator, Madam Hua finally understood.

So the ill wind that had blown into Noble Consort Jing’s ears had come from this direction.

In Madam Hua’s view, the instigator Xie Youran was certainly very foolish and wicked. But Tao Huiru and Su Shi were not necessarily innocent.

If she went on their behalf to persuade Chu Shi, she would be serving as an accomplice to wrongdoers — thoroughly revolting.

Constrained by social niceties, Madam Hua couldn’t very well imitate the upright style of her father-in-law Qi Gong and scold them roundly before sending them packing.

So she led these several women through the bamboo grove near the academy, all the while hemming and hawing and playing for time — neither agreeing nor refusing, just waiting until she had walked them to exhaustion and they went home themselves.

Su Shi hadn’t yet discerned the situation, and was still scolding her daughter. But Tao Huiru had already sensed Madam Hua’s meaning and had long since fallen awkwardly silent.

She hadn’t expected that her friendship with Madam Hua, built over many years, would not hold up against the face of a divorced, lowborn merchant woman.

Could it be that Madam Hua was being opportunistic, knowing about Chu Linlang’s connection to the Emperor’s favor?

Since nothing had come of it, she was too tired to waste more time here, and was the first to suggest they take their leave. Madam Hua, hearing this, felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and was preparing to do her duty as a hostess and see them off to their carriages.

Who could have anticipated that just as they left the bamboo grove, they would witness the scene that had just unfolded.

The whole situation looked every bit as if Situ Sheng and Instructor Liao were both competing for Chu Niangzi’s affections and fighting over her.

Even Madam Hua was left open-mouthed at this sight, thinking to herself: though she had long known Situ Sheng treated Chu Shi in a way that was out of the ordinary, when had Instructor Liao also developed feelings for Chu Shi?

And Xie Youran, watching this, was nearly trembling with fury in her jaw — that Chu Linlang was a fox spirit turned human? How could a woman who couldn’t bear children have such allure?

She had merely seduced Instructor Liao — fine. But how had she also ensnared a man as cold and aloof as Situ Sheng?

Thinking back to when she herself had pursued Situ Sheng, and how cold the man had been — keeping himself distant, even jumping off a boat rather than let the slightest female presence taint him, as if he were a holy monk who touched not a trace of feminine beauty!

Then thinking of the domineering way Situ Sheng had just dragged Chu Linlang onto the carriage — as if that woman were already his possession, not to be touched by anyone else.

These men… had they all been enchanted by beauty, driven to madness?

Xie Youran couldn’t stop the sourness rising from her very tooth roots. Why? The man she had sought and failed to get — how could he throw himself so eagerly at this abandoned wife, this Chu Linlang?

The two ladies Tao Huiru and Su Shi, for their part, exchanged a glance only the two of them understood…

So this Chu Shi was such a flighty one! She actually moved between two talented young men, and even caused both of them to lose their composure and quarrel like this.

Even if Chu Linlang were ever so beautiful and bewitching, a woman with such immodest private conduct — her road to riches and advancement would likely be washed away like a bamboo basket dipped in water!

Never mind anything else: if the Emperor found out that his newly bestowed Xinmei Ren was this flighty and abandoned all wifely virtue, he would surely be furious with imperial rage!

At that point, no matter how much the Emperor favored her — he might well decree the death of this flighty woman in a fit of jealousy!

Thinking of this, the two ladies, who had been anxious and afraid of offending the Emperor’s new favorite, felt considerably more at ease.

And at the corner of Tao Huiru’s mouth, there rose a fathomless smile — today’s trip to the academy had truly not been in vain!

With things as they stood, there was no longer any need to beg Madam Hua to go and mediate. After Tao Huiru exchanged a glance with Su Shi, the three of them bid farewell and left.

Madam Hua stood alone at the academy gate, feeling somewhat of a headache and unease in her heart.

She was wondering how to tactfully remind Chu Linlang to mind her private conduct and keep some distance from men.

If it were a young girl, that would be easier to say. But Chu Linlang was herself an eight-faceted, adaptable sort of person, and she was already a divorced woman — remarrying was entirely up to her own wishes, without even her parents having a say.

At this age, saying too much would only be an affront. Fine then — the love affairs of these young men and women were beyond her power to manage. Whether it was Situ Sheng or Instructor Liao — both were men well past the age to establish themselves and start a family. She would just see which of them was more capable and could win the beauty’s heart!

Now, Chu Linlang had no idea that on that day at the academy gate, she had been seen, and that people had developed such a great misunderstanding.

Having received an imperial commission, she had for the past several days abandoned even her own shop, and devoted herself wholeheartedly to practicing the Dharma assembly rituals.

On the day the Dharma assembly hosted by Great Master Lingyun opened its altar, Tao Yashu came in the capacity of a female official, carrying the Empress Dowager’s congratulatory words and offerings on behalf of the aged Empress Dowager, who was not suited to leave the palace.

And Chu Linlang, as the auspicious lucky carp whose presence could protect the Emperor and turn ill fortune into good, was naturally also required to attend in person, to reverently arrange the offerings brought by the palace’s ladies and then set up one hundred and eleven lotus butter lamps in the shape of the Sanskrit character “swastika.”

By the time she was placing the one hundred and eleventh lamp, her arms aching, Chu Linlang felt the Great Master had grabbed the wrong person for this task.

Work this precise and straight-edged and right-angled should really have been given to the Guangxing Huzhu Tao Yashu to do!

She was not particularly skilled at it, and if she carelessly knocked over one of the lamps, she didn’t know if it would disrupt the Dharma assembly — turning from a meritorious carp who had rescued the Emperor into the greatest offender of the Grand Jin imperial temple this year.

After giving instructions to the palace servants, Tao Yashu happened to walk over and, seeing Chu Linlang’s frantic busyness, smiled and came to help.

Sure enough, with the help of a girl whose eyes were as precise as a measuring ruler, this sort of work became much simpler and easier, and very quickly a large, beautiful thousand-lamp “swastika” pattern was arranged.

Before long, the various imperial princes and the consorts of standing from the inner palace followed behind the Emperor and entered the Dharma assembly altar.

Some of the officials whom the Emperor held in high regard also attended the Dharma assembly in person to pray for good fortune for the Grand Jin. Situ Sheng was among the ranks of the hundred officials.

Being of the fourth rank, he wore a purple official robe, straight and well-fitted, and stood out like a crane among chickens amid the stooped or potbellied officials around him, prompting Chu Linlang, standing to one side, to steal several more glances at him.

As for the imperial princes following behind the Emperor, their expressions were complex and their placement carried great significance.

The originally high-spirited Fourth Imperial Prince, after Noble Consort Jing had received the Emperor’s rebuke, had pulled himself in somewhat, and stood with his princess consort in the midst of the princes.

But the Fourth Prince would occasionally cast cold, hostile glances at Situ Sheng.

In his view, Situ Sheng had already been counted as his man.

He had treated Situ well. So why had Situ Sheng gone and humiliated his mother and the Yun Family right before the Empress Dowager and the Emperor?

That day, after hearing the message conveyed from the palace, he had sent someone to summon Situ Sheng to the Fourth Prince’s residence, intending to personally demand an explanation. But Situ Sheng had declined, citing an occasional chill, saying it was inconvenient to come to the residence.

This fellow then turned around and stirred up the Bureau of Judicial Review to open a case, producing some old maidservant who had escaped from the Yun Family before she could be silenced, who was to testify that Yixiu Junzhu had not voluntarily preserved her honor by ending her own life.

What kind of self-appointed incorruptible magistrate was he playing at? Could he not sleep and so devoted himself entirely to digging into the Yun Family’s domestic scandals?

As a result, to suppress the scandal, the entire Yun household was thrown into turmoil again, in utter disarray.

And on the Emperor’s side, the Emperor began to grow cold toward his mother Noble Consort — he hadn’t visited Noble Consort Jing for a full half month.

The Fourth Prince, furious at home, slammed his table and swore, calling Situ Sheng an ungrateful white-eyed wolf.

But this episode had greatly lifted the spirits of the Crown Prince, who had been keeping his tail between his legs for a long time — Old Fourth had been riding high for too long. It was finally his turn to have some bad luck.

Look at how the Fourth Prince had been cosying up to Situ Sheng — did he actually think that cold stone would work for him?

That Situ Sheng followed the path of an isolated minister, having absolutely no intention of attaching himself to any of the imperial princes. Old Fourth going to him was simply asking to be snubbed! He deserved their mother and son’s misfortune!

However, this Verdant Isle case had implicated the Jing Kingdom, and the Crown Prince was also having a rough time.

The Crown Prince, furious, sent a secret letter out, wanting to ask that Khan of Angu what his intentions were. Could it be that the attack at Verdant Isle had been done on his orders?

This Angu was originally his covert line of intelligence that he had painstakingly cultivated over many years. A leader of an obscure, unknown small tribe had replaced the original Khan of the Jing Kingdom and now led the entire clan.

If at this moment he could further display his friendship with the new Khan, allowing the Grand Jin and the Jing Kingdom to enjoy eternal peace — what a dazzling political achievement that would be!

Unfortunately, this secret friendship had now become a stain that brought censure from all the court officials, and it was truly impossible to swallow that breath of grievance.

So the Crown Prince and heir apparent, following behind the Emperor, also wore a somewhat crestfallen, hangdog look.

The only one who seemed in high spirits and living quite comfortably was the Sixth Imperial Prince.

He had been in a good mood recently, and had even filled out a little in the cheeks.

After overseeing the drought relief and water conservancy in the northwest, he had gone to the Ministry of Finance, diligently working on farmland reform, riding the east wind of Aide Situ’s influence, and had finally accumulated some creditable achievements.

He kept in mind everything the Shaofu had instructed him, and devoted all his energy to digging silver out of the earth for his father, the Emperor — he dared not get involved in the open and covert struggles among the various imperial princes.

Even the Emperor had recently looked upon him favorably and praised him repeatedly for having the heart of a practical and capable official.

But just as with all previous major and minor sacrifices, when the Emperor knelt in worship before heaven and earth, a cushion beside him was left conspicuously empty.

All those close to the Emperor knew this was a place reserved for the Emperor’s Third Imperial Prince.

Even though he had never once appeared before the court officials, this “Ghost Prince” enjoyed no less favor and honor.

Chu Linlang had done her ceremonial duty and retired early to stand at the side of the hall, together with Tao Yashu, watching the Emperor leading the princes and officials in Buddhist prayer and chanting.

Just as the sound of Sanskrit chanting filled the air, suddenly from the rear mountain behind the main hall, there came a commotion.

A disheveled figure, wearing a filthy, stained cloth garment, appeared unexpectedly at the entrance of the rear mountain path.

Although the imperial palace’s forbidden army guards promptly stopped him, they could not stop his mouth.

Only to hear the man shout arrogantly: “I am the son of the Late Emperor, the Prince Tai of the Grand Jin! You curs, how dare you block my way! Emperor of Benevolence! You foolish little boy — how dare you treat your imperial uncle this way! Make a vow right here before this Buddha — can you honestly say you came to this throne with a clear conscience? If it were not for this prince’s assistance back then, how could you have steadied your seat? You killed the donkey once you no longer needed it to turn the millstone. How could you treat me like this! Are you not ashamed before the ancestors of the Grand Jin? No wonder heaven punishes you — taking away the woman and son you loved! Ha ha ha, and you still hold the one who harmed your son in the highest favor, lavishing endless love on her — the spirit of Fang Liangmei will never rest in peace! Your Dharma assembly is for nothing! With a muddleheaded ruler like you, my Grand Jin is on the verge of collapse! On the verge of collapse!”

He had said so much, but then could say no more — for the forbidden army guards had used a hemp rope to gag him, forbidding him from further raving.

But he had shouted so loudly that everyone within the ceremonial altar had heard every word, and many exchanged glances with each other.

The deposed prince being held under house arrest in the rear mountain’s forbidden temple was an open secret.

Almost none of the court officials could even remember this imperial uncle who had once dominated the court with a single hand.

The Emperor was truly benevolent — he had actually kept him alive. Had this man gone mad? How had he slipped past the guards and come here to rant and rave?

Hearing the deranged prince’s words, the nearby Noble Consort Jing’s expression became extremely ugly, and she stealthily looked up to gauge the Emperor’s reaction.

As for the Emperor, he had not expected this imprisoned imperial uncle would barge into the Dharma assembly.

But compared to the anger of being cursed by his imperial uncle, Emperor Jinren was more concerned with that one sentence: “hold the one who harmed your son in the highest favor, lavishing endless love on her.”

His gaze slowly drifted over the consorts attending the Dharma assembly. Among those he lavished endless love on, there were not many.

And among those few consorts, their expressions were each different…

He looked up again at his assembled officials, and then ordered someone to summon Situ Sheng, whispering instructions: “Find out how he got out. And… ask what he meant by his ravings just now!”

He did not trust others to interrogate this imperial uncle, who had deep roots throughout the court with followers everywhere.

Situ Sheng understood the Emperor’s intent and immediately turned to leave. Before departing, he noted the varied expressions of several people — clearly, the deranged prince’s scene-crashing had disturbed the still waters in several people’s hearts.

From the rear mountain’s forbidden temple to the front mountain’s imperial temple, it was not a short distance, but not particularly far either.

Under normal circumstances, the forbidden temple had guards on duty at all times. The imprisoned man inside could not get out at all, especially since Prince Tai normally also wore ankle shackles, making it all the more unsuitable to walk along the rugged mountain path.

But “coincidentally,” on the very day the Emperor personally attended the front mountain temple for the Dharma assembly, the guards holding Prince Tai collectively had upset stomachs, and were running back and forth to the latrines in twos and threes, creating disorder and finally leaving a brief gap in the guard rotation. Prince Tai, perhaps because of his recent dramatic weight loss, had managed to wriggle free of the shackles that had become loose, and so, fortunately encountering no one to obstruct him all the way, had run to the front mountain to cause this scene.

Having been imprisoned all this time, seeing no outsiders, Prince Tai’s temperament had greatly changed. Seeing Situ Sheng arrive, he burst into loud laughter: “You’ve come again? What? Are you here to use torture on this prince?”

Situ Sheng did not rush to question him, but had someone bring him the shackles he had slipped free of, examined them carefully, and then checked Prince Tai’s ankles.

Those thin, bony ankles bore only the marks of long-term shackle abrasion — no marks from being squeezed out from above or below.

So Situ Sheng could almost conclude with certainty that someone had used a key to unlock the shackles for him and then replaced them to look as if he had slipped free himself.

As for the guards collectively having upset stomachs — that was even easier to explain. Someone must have put a laxative in their food, deliberately creating the conditions for Prince Tai to cause chaos at the Dharma assembly.

Such painstaking effort — since it wasn’t to assassinate anyone, it was to make a scene big enough to reach the Emperor’s ears.

So Situ Sheng had absolutely no need to have torture instruments brought in. He simply stood facing Prince Tai and said calmly: “You’ve made your scene. Now speak — what did you mean by shouting that someone plotted against the imperial prince? And who helped you get to the front mountain?”

Prince Tai’s eyes had gone completely bloodshot, and he laughed softly: “Did you think that just because I was the only one suffering, everyone else was sleeping easy? I’m not long for this world anyway — I might as well drag them all down with me!”

It turned out Prince Tai’s kidney disease had flared up, and he had been urinating blood of late. Perhaps knowing his days were numbered, this Prince Tai now wished for nothing more than to drag as many people as possible down with him.

Especially the Fourth Imperial Prince, who had been on the same boat as him — ever since that prince had been thrown into prison, he hadn’t come to see him even once, treating him far worse than the Crown Prince, who had at least shown some consideration for their uncle-nephew bond by sending a physician and medicine.

Prince Tai understood that his own children had now been implicated and sent to the frontier. Whether they would ever be able to turn their fortunes around no longer depended on the Fourth Prince and his circle.

Now hearing that the Fourth Prince, because of Noble Consort Jing’s situation, had regained imperial favor — that only meant he wanted this uncle, who knew too much, to die sooner.

For the sake of his own children, Prince Tai simply defected to the Crown Prince’s side, counting it as using what little time he had left to fight for a future for his children.

Thinking of this, he first demanded from Situ Sheng a steamed chicken and a jug of good wine. Then, sipping and drinking, he deliberately leaned in close: “The Emperor has always believed that the disappearance of the Third Imperial Prince back then was the fault of Empress Chen. But he should also think about it — Empress Chen’s character was the most aloof and proud. How could she ever do something as low as harming the Emperor’s own children? In this there is… actually another hidden story. Do you want to know? Bring me more food and wine, and this prince will tell you slowly…”

What happened during the interrogation in the rear mountain that day need not be elaborated. Returning to the front mountain, the Dharma assembly continued as normal.

After a full two hours of chanting sutras, everyone who attended the Dharma assembly was accustomed to remaining behind for the vegetarian meal.

Chu Linlang, as the lamp-holder Ren, sat together with the palace female officials at a table.

After eating the vegetarian meal and resting for a while, the Dharma assembly would continue.

This Dharma assembly lasting three days was truly a great test of one’s physical endurance.

Taking advantage of a stroll in the imperial temple’s garden to rest, Chu Linlang tentatively asked Tao Yashu whether she had gone to see the instructor.

Tao Yashu was quite composed, and only asked: “Did he tell you?”

This was tantamount to an indirect admission. Chu Linlang shook her head: “I saw the embroidered slippers under the door curtain that day — I guessed.”

Hearing Chu Linlang say this, Tao Yashu smiled and asked openly: “How is he doing now?”

Chu Linlang felt somewhat worried for her: “You were too careless. That alley has many residents of mixed kinds — if someone recognized you, what would you do? Besides, even if you care about the instructor’s injury, you shouldn’t have…”

Tao Yashu said calmly: “There are too many things I cannot do in this life — too few mistakes I will be able to make in the future. He was injured saving me. Going to take care of him was only right. Now I can’t even go to see him if I wanted to… And besides…”

At this point, Tao Yashu paused, looked at Chu Linlang, and said mischievously: “My dealings with the instructor are far more proper than yours with Aide Situ.”

Oh my — Chu Linlang was taken aback. She hadn’t expected her classmate and good friend to suddenly come out with such a remark.

“You… what are you talking about!”

Tao Yashu tapped Chu Linlang’s forehead with one finger: “Do you think me young and ignorant? When we were in danger at the riverside back then, the way you ran flying toward that lord’s horse — wasn’t that the excitement of seeing one’s beloved? And that Aide Situ going to your room in the middle of the night — surely they weren’t just master and servant having a candlelit heart-to-heart talk? I didn’t expose it, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t know anything!”

She was truly the Tao Family’s eldest daughter. Even with a handle in someone’s grip, she could quietly and unhurriedly deploy the lethal counter-strike.

But Chu Linlang had indeed been quite improper with Aide Situ.

Since Tao Yashu had quietly seen it all, she might as well stop denying it, and simply said: “You and I are not the same. The instructor and he are even more different — you must absolutely not go wrong and make a grave mistake!”

Tao Yashu understood that Chu Linlang was saying this out of genuine concern for her.

With her intelligence, she could have kept it all secretly in her heart without saying a word, just as she had earlier discerned her and Situ Sheng’s private affair.

But Chu Linlang had spoken up anyway — just to advise her.

Tao Yashu was grateful, yet also infinitely wistful: “Chu Niangzi, you have no idea how much I envy you. You can do what I would not dare even dream of. Your life, in every way, is so much richer than mine. I only wish that in my next life, I could be reborn as a bird in the forest — free and unfettered…”

Chu Linlang understood the unspoken feelings — or perhaps the ambiguous tender thoughts — that Tao Yashu held for Instructor Liao that could never be voiced.

Unfortunately, she was the Tao Family’s eldest daughter, and had been sent into the palace by her family. Her future, whether good or ill, was entirely out of her own hands. Even if she had developed inappropriate feelings, she had to press them firmly down.

Thinking of this, she reached out and took hold of Tao Yashu’s hand, saying quietly: “Nonsense — what next life? This life isn’t even over yet! We both have to live our own lives well. We absolutely must not wallow in self-pity.”

Tao Yashu didn’t seem quite used to being this close with anyone, but in the end she still clasped her good friend’s hand in return, and said equally quietly: “Alright…”

Even though on the road of love and marriage she was fated not to follow her own heart’s wishes — yet finding a true confidant in life was rare. Having a good friend like Chu Niangzi, one who would risk her life for her, was heaven’s grace bestowed upon her. How could she not treasure it?

And at this moment, the two women holding hands and whispering softly in the garden also caught the eye of the Crown Prince, who stood in the high tower of the imperial temple.

Because the distance was too great, the Crown Prince could not hear what his little cousin was saying to that Chu Niangzi.

At this moment he was whispering in secret with his trusted aide Chen Fang.

“Was the matter handled cleanly? No loose ends left?”

Chen Fang immediately said quietly: “Please rest assured, Your Crown Prince. It was all done through intermediaries — it cannot be traced back. Besides, the man wasn’t kept under watch properly — that too is the guards’ fault. It’s not some earth-shaking crime — who would dig all the way to the root?”

Hearing this, the Crown Prince nodded in relief.

The Fourth Prince and his mother were the most cunning and crafty — they had swaggered about for so many years. He could call it their good fortune running out!

Ever since he had, from Prince Tai’s mouth, learned the hidden circumstances behind the loss of the Third Imperial Prince all those years ago, he had gone on a long investigation, gathering witnesses.

Prince Tai had also been cunning enough, having over these many years secretly kept a few key witnesses in reserve to hold Noble Consort Jing in check — though it had taken some effort, they were found by him, put to proper use.

Who among those close to the Emperor didn’t know what weighed most heavily on the Emperor’s heart? If the Emperor knew that the true culprit behind the framing of Fang Liangmei and the loss of her child was actually the Noble Consort whom he had lavished with love for so many years — what a spectacle that would be!

So he had deliberately chosen an auspicious moment — on the very day of the Dharma assembly marking the Third Imperial Prince’s birthday — to let Prince Tai burst out in this spectacular fashion!

If he had calculated correctly, someone by now must be in a panic, wishing the sky would simply collapse.

Thinking of this, the Crown Prince was in high spirits and couldn’t help but laugh aloud.