Ningshou Palace had not witnessed bloodshed in many years. As soon as the eunuch raised his whip, the Empress Dowager murmured "Amitabha Buddha" and cast a cold glance at Longkodo, whose eyes bulged with fury, before turning away. She led Noble Consort Wen and Noble Consort Yi into the inner hall to wait.
Yunxiu's expression remained composed, a faint smile lingering on her lips. She knew well how deeply Longkodo cherished Li Si'er—so much so that it defied common understanding. For his own mother to choose the manner of his beloved concubine's death, and for Li Si'er to perish before his very eyes, was a torment no less agonizing than death itself.
Li Si'er was gone, and Longkodo would not escape unscathed.
Noble Consort Wen, however, felt that Li Si'er's death had been too swift, letting both the Tongjia family and Longkodo off too lightly. The one who truly deserved punishment still stood unharmed outside. How fitting it would have been to lash him with the whip! But the Empress Dowager had no authority to punish an official of the court—that was the Emperor's prerogative. Considering Kangxi's favor toward the Tong family, Noble Consort Wen sighed inwardly. Still, at least some vengeance had been exacted.
When the commotion outside finally subsided, Nanny Qian came to report. The stench beyond the hall was foul, and when she mentioned Lady Tong, a trace of disdain flickered in her eyes.
Longkodo had also collapsed in a faint.
The Empress Dowager nodded coldly. "Throw Li Si'er's body into the mass graves. The Tong women have witnessed the punishment and suffered their due. Let them return home. As for Longkodo, send someone to recount his ravings verbatim to the Emperor. Ask His Majesty what measures should be taken against such insolence. I merely dealt with a lowly concubine, yet he dares to harbor such resentment. Does he no longer recognize the authority of the imperial family? Has he forgotten the bond between ruler and subject?"
Nanny Qian murmured her assent. She, too, found it unbelievable. For the sake of Li Si'er, Longkodo seemed to have lost his mind—as if cursed by some dark spell.
As dusk deepened, several high-ranking ministers, summoned urgently by Kangxi, hastened to the palace with their credentials. When they crossed paths, they exchanged glances, sensing the gravity of the situation.
The Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate—were they to deliberate on a criminal case?
Their hearts tightened. The only person currently under accusation was Longkodo. Yet, just that morning, the Emperor had handed him over to the Imperial Clan Court for investigation, seemingly inclined to show leniency. Why then this sudden change, summoning them all at once?
Kangxi's face was dark with displeasure. Once the ministers had paid their respects, his first words were: "Longkodo harbors treasonous intentions."
He was furious. What kind of uncle was Longkodo to Yintang?
Ma Qi stiffened. The Minister of Justice looked up sharply, while the Chief Judge of the Court of Judicial Review gaped in shock. Heavens, this was no minor accusation!
At best, it was disloyalty; at worst, outright rebellion. To provoke the Emperor's wrath to this extent—what other unspeakable crimes had Longkodo committed besides murdering his wife?
Kangxi's phoenix eyes gleamed coldly as he tapped the desk. Liang Jiugong bowed and handed a sheet of paper to the officials below the jade steps. On it were Li Si'er's outrageous boasts.
At the mere sight of the words "exterminate the nine generations," the Minister of Justice froze.
He had some dealings with Tong Guowei, but now his lips moved soundlessly, unable to muster a plea for mercy. Li Si'er was Longkodo's beloved concubine. Without his indulgence and tacit approval, how could she have dared utter such treasonous words?
An eerie silence settled over the study. The same thought crossed every minister's mind: Longkodo was courting death.
Even as a member of the Tong family, even as the Emperor's own cousin by blood, nothing could save him now.
"Decide how he should be punished, and present me with a proposal," Kangxi said coolly before ordering tea to be served. The officials murmured their thanks and seated themselves gingerly, then began discussing in hushed tones.
About the time it takes to burn an incense stick, a young eunuch named Xiao Li, running errands for his master, peeked around the screen. Liang Jiugong shot him a warning glare before slipping out quietly.
Xiao Li whispered a full account of Longkodo's actions at Ningshou Palace into Liang Jiugong's ear. The latter sucked in a sharp breath—had Longkodo gone mad?
The Emperor revered filial piety above all and would never tolerate disrespect toward the two Empress Dowagers. Moreover, the Empress Dowager was gentle by nature and rarely involved herself in worldly affairs. For her to be driven to such anger—Kangxi now felt a pang of remorse. At this point, what did the Tong family matter? To appease the Empress Dowager, executing a mere concubine was a small concession.
But who could have imagined that this concubine truly was Longkodo's heart and soul? Liang Jiugong's steps were unsteady as he swallowed hard, steeling himself before ascending the jade steps to deliver the report.
"Good. Very good!" Kangxi erupted in fury, hurling an inkstone to the ground with a thunderous crash. The ministers flinched and prostrated themselves. "Your Majesty, calm your wrath!"
"What an excellent cousin I have! First, he implies my imperial mother is unkind. Next, will he point at my nose and curse me to my face?" Kangxi paced, his laughter laced with rage. "Ma Qi, speak! For disrespecting the Empress Dowager, compounded with his other crimes—what should his punishment be?"
"Your Majesty, this humble servant believes the punishment should not extend to his family, especially since his wife is also a victim. Longkodo alone should bear the penalty. He could be sentenced to flogging and demotion to commoner status," Ma Qi straightened his back, proposing a lenient option, given Longkodo's imperial connections and his future role as family head. After a pause, he added, "Alternatively, imprisonment, exile to Ningguta, or immediate execution."
Had the Emperor wished to press the charge of treason to its fullest extent, Longkodo's crimes would warrant the extermination of his nine generations. Ma Qi barely suppressed the thought, exhaling inwardly. Best not mention that—after all, the Emperor himself was among those nine generations.
As soon as he finished speaking, Ma Qi noticed the Emperor's gaze darken. After a long silence, Kangxi gave a slight nod.
That night, a despairing and still-unconscious Longkodo was imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's dungeon. By the next morning, the broad strokes of his crimes had been announced at court, sending shockwaves through the capital. The mere fact that he had murdered his lawful wife was enough to drown him in the people's scorn.
His reputation was instantly ruined.
Having witnessed Li Si'er's death before his eyes, Lady Tong, already traumatized, fainted once more. The physician summoned to examine her sighed, diagnosing signs of a stroke.
Tong Guowei regained consciousness to find his confidant in a panic. Upon questioning, he spat out a mouthful of blood and struggled to rise, determined to seek an audience with the Emperor.
Tong Guogang and the elders of the Tongjia clan swallowed their pride and accompanied him. By noon, Tong Guowei staggered out of the Qianqing Gate, his face ashen, two murky tears tracing his cheeks.
The Emperor's words still rang in his ears: "From this day forth, we are no longer uncle and nephew—only sovereign and subject. I hereby strip Tong Guowei of his position as Commander of the Imperial Guards. Reflect well on your failure as a father."
Having sacrificed dignity and family interests to beg for Longkodo's life, the Emperor had given them a choice: exile to Ningguta, where a future amnesty might offer a slim chance of return (though few survived the harsh conditions), or fifty lashes and reduction to commoner status, barred forever from the imperial examinations and official service, with no support permitted from the Tong family, even in destitution.
Either path was like carving flesh from his bones.
In the end, his voice trembling, Tong Guowei chose the latter.
As he spoke, darkness clouded his vision. He swayed unsteadily, his mind clinging to one thought: from now on, Longkodo—the son who had once been his pride—was a commoner.
How had it come to this?
A curse. Li Si'er was truly a curse!
After returning to the estate, Tong Guowei immediately fell ill. With two masters in the household now unconscious, chaos ensued. Longkodo’s elder brother, Qingfu, and his family were stationed far away in Sichuan and Shaanxi, leaving the only person capable of managing the situation as the previously overlooked second wife, Mrs. Hesheli.
Thanks to the skilled imperial physicians, Mrs. Hesheli had regained consciousness the day before. Fortunately, she had not been taking the poisoned medicine for long, and the toxins had not yet seeped deep into her bones. With a few years of recuperation, she would recover fully.
Upon hearing of Longkodo and Li Si'er’s fate, she laughed until tears streamed down her face. Then, turning to Ruizhu, who had been sent by Yunxiu, she said, "I will forever remember the great kindness of the Empress Dowager, Noble Consort Wen, and Noble Consort Yi. However, I do not wish to divorce."
Ruizhu remained silent as Mrs. Hesheli continued, "I’m not afraid to admit this, even if it amuses my aunt. Longkodo has been stripped of his rank and is now a commoner, no longer tied to me. My aunt has suffered a stroke and will likely never recover. Yuexing'a has returned to my side, and from now on, he is the sole heir of this household. I intend to raise him to become a man of worth. Why should I abandon a life of luxury to return to my family in disgrace, only to be mocked?"
She paused, then added with a bitter smile, "When I was young, my father allowed my stepmother to torment me. If I divorce, I will have no place to call home."
Though still weak and in need of expensive medicines for her recovery, the Empress Dowager, upon hearing of her plight, sent Nanny Ning from Ningshou Palace to assist her. Nanny Ning was a formidable figure, well-versed in the ways of the palace. Upon arrival, she swiftly seized the keys to the storerooms, which had been under the control of Lady Tong’s confidants, and summoned all the maids and servants for a stern lecture.
"If you don’t stand up now, all the suffering you’ve endured will have been for nothing," Nanny Ning advised quietly. "You must learn to manage the household. When the young master grows up and earns you a noble title, your blessings will only multiply."
Mrs. Hesheli leaned against her pillow, murmuring in agreement, her mind momentarily adrift.
Before her marriage, despite her stepmother’s cruelty, she had been paraded at social gatherings to maintain appearances. No one had taught her household management, so she learned by imitation. Her dowry paled in comparison to her half-sister’s, so she scrimped and saved, stuffing her bridal chest with silver, determined to marry with dignity.
Over time, she gained a reputation for grace, virtue, and thrift—qualities that eventually caught her aunt’s eye.
After marrying into the Tong household, years passed like stagnant water. The reins of the household had always been tightly held by her aunt, leaving her no authority. She had resigned herself to a lifetime of obscurity in a secluded corner of the estate.
Now, clutching the storeroom keys, Mrs. Hesheli trembled. The Tong family had wronged her in countless ways—was it not right that they compensate her with their wealth?
Nanny Ning sighed in relief, pleased with her progress. Just then, the steward from the front courtyard arrived, announcing that Tong Guogang, the elder master, had come to visit Tong Guowei. Would the mistress like to greet him?
"Tell him the toxins have not yet cleared from my system, and I am unwell. I will apologize to my uncle another day," Mrs. Hesheli replied softly.
Her gaze was dark and unreadable. The steward glanced at her and immediately lowered his head, his heart pounding as he stammered, "Yes, mistress."
The servants who had once bullied her were now flogged and sold off.
The household had undergone a revolution.
Five days later, a public flogging was held at the foot of the imperial city walls. Though still recovering and walking with difficulty, Mrs. Hesheli had herself helped into a carriage. Upon arrival, she leaned on her attendants as she made her way to the front of the crowd.
The commoners whispered and pointed at the condemned man, but upon seeing the resplendent figure of Mrs. Hesheli in her crimson robes and jeweled hairpins, they instinctively parted to let her through.
In just a few days, Longkodo’s temples had turned gray. Pinned to the cold stone pavement, he writhed and muttered Li Si'er’s name like a madman.
Then his eyes locked onto Mrs. Hesheli in her scarlet finery. Clarity returned to his gaze, swiftly replaced by venom. "You vile woman!" he spat.
If not for her meddling with Noble Consort Yi, alerting the palace, he would never have been reduced to a commoner—and Li Si'er would still be alive.
Mrs. Hesheli remained impassive, watching him silently before suddenly smiling.
It was a smile brimming with disdain, as if she were looking at a pool of foul, stinking filth. Longkodo could not bear it. He thrashed wildly, but the executioners would not tolerate such defiance.
"By the Emperor’s decree—commence the punishment!"
As the order rang out, Mrs. Hesheli clenched her fists so tightly that her nails drew blood, though she seemed unaware of the pain.
The shackles that had bound her for half her life had finally shattered.
The crowd erupted in excitement, gasping and cheering—this humiliation was worse than death for Longkodo. Fifty lashes fell upon him, one after another, until his agonized screams faded into weak groans.
"Punishment complete!"
As the spectators dispersed, Mrs. Hesheli stepped forward, stopping before Longkodo’s broken, bloodied form. Slowly, she lifted her foot and pressed it down onto him.
A sharp, searing pain shot through his wounds, and darkness swallowed him whole.
Mrs. Hesheli pressed her lips into a faint smile. "Let us return home."
