The previous evening, just as the government offices had closed, a messenger arrived in haste at the First Duke's residence, coincidentally crossing paths with Suo Etu, who was returning home.
Suo Etu, still clad in his court robes with an ornate feathered cap upon his head, reclined inside his spacious palanquin, feigning sleep with an air of contentment. The palanquin moved leisurely through the bustling streets before turning into a vermilion-gated alley. This was the residence of the prestigious Hesheli family, where the main branch naturally resided.
As the sounds outside gradually faded into silence, Suo Etu seemed to sense something and lifted his eyelids to glance out the window before withdrawing his gaze, stroking his beard with satisfaction.
A faint smile curled on his lips as he thought, Mingzhu, ah Mingzhu—those who commit many injustices will inevitably meet their downfall. So the Nara clan has finally met their end!
Upon hearing that the Emperor had summoned Hang Ai and subsequently assigned Tuyue to the Ministry of War—rather than the Ministry of Personnel or Revenue—Suo Etu was momentarily stunned before nearly bursting into laughter. His heart swelled with joy, the heavy stone of worry within him finally settling.
First, Consort Yi’s proposal had succeeded beyond his expectations. Second, the Nara and Gorolo clans could no longer form an alliance, leaving him free from concern. Third, Tuyue’s appointment as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War at just over thirty years of age spoke volumes of the Emperor’s favor. With Consort Yi on friendly terms with him, it also meant Tuyue was aligned with the Hesheli family. How could Suo Etu not rejoice?
Yet, amid his delight, he couldn’t help but marvel at Consort Yi’s deep understanding of the Emperor’s mind. Resolving to strengthen ties with Yikun Palace, he deliberately brushed aside the grievances voiced by Consort Ping of Chuxiu Palace.
This niece of mine is still too young.
Consort Yi was an invaluable ally—someone to be befriended at all costs, never offended. Consort Ping, on the other hand, had repeatedly clashed with her!
From what Suo Etu knew, his niece had been the instigator each time.
Consort Yi is no clay bodhisattva—provoked once or twice, she naturally flares up, regardless of whether you have the Hesheli family behind you.
First, the demotion to Consort Ping, then the matter of the Buddhist scriptures—Consort Ping had lost every time. Consort Yi had borne two princes and raised a princess—how could Consort Ping ever compete?
Why can’t she learn to think before acting?
Once Suo Etu made up his mind, he seldom wavered. He mused, By indirectly aiding Tuyue, I’ve indirectly aided Consort Yi. Now, the lady of Yikun Palace is one of us—Consort Ping’s petty squabbles should cease.
Within the palace, one must always prioritize the family. The plot against the Fifth Prince must never happen again. If Consort Ping continues to act recklessly, opposing Consort Yi without reason, the Hesheli family has no shortage of beautiful and capable young ladies from the collateral branches to replace her.
Dismissing the vexing matter of Consort Ping, he scoffed with self-satisfaction. The Emperor is wise and mighty—he would never heed the slander of that old fool Mingzhu. Acting first and reporting later, attempting to win over the Gorolo clan—who gave Mingzhu the audacity?
Look at him now—reaping the bitter fruit of his arrogance! So sure of victory, only to have his schemes unraveled, becoming the laughingstock of the capital, his dignity in tatters.
And then there was Consort Hui in the palace—how many messages had she secretly passed to Mingzhu while assisting in managing the inner court? How many obstacles had she placed in the Hesheli family’s path? Now, she too had suffered a great fall. What sweet justice!
With Consort Hui’s downfall, the Eighth Prince moved out of Yanxi Palace, and word had it that the Eldest Prince had been reprimanded and punished by the Emperor. Suo Etu couldn’t have been more pleased.
In his elation, he cast aside lingering doubts—such as the fact that for the past half-month, Hu Ming and Hu Guang from Yuqing Palace had ceased sending him any messages.
……
As the palanquin neared the Duke’s residence, his trusted coachman prepared to halt when several stout men in short attire rushed forward, calling out urgently, “Your Excellency!” Their voices carried an undercurrent of haste.
Suo Etu’s smile vanished as he frowned and lifted the curtain, ready to scold them—until he recognized their faces. The reprimand died on his lips.
These were the men he had sent to monitor Lady Liu, the wet nurse of the Rongjun Prince…
A sense of foreboding gripped him. Before he could speak, the bearded leader stepped forward and whispered urgently, “Your Excellency, Lady Liu—Lady Liu has disappeared!”
Suo Etu shot to his feet, yanking out several strands of his beard in shock and fury. “Disappeared? What do you mean disappeared?!”
Cining Palace.
“Your Majesty, this concubine does not seek your forgiveness—only that you show some mercy to Yinzuo and grant him justice!” Noble Consort Wu wept until her eyes were swollen, nearly choking on her sobs as she kowtowed to the two Empress Dowagers seated above. “He is not yet five years old, forced to endure separation from his mother, his once-bright mind now dulled—it is as though my heart is being carved out, my flesh cut away…”
Kangxi’s expression was grave, while the Grand Empress Dowager remained silent, eyes closed—both wrestling with complex emotions.
Only the Empress Dowager picked up the confession from the tray and examined it carefully before speaking. “Rise. There’s no need to kneel. We don’t yet know if this confession is genuine. If it’s false, then there’s no justice to speak of.”
Her tone was indifferent, and everyone present sensed it.
That day, when Noble Consort Wu had “defied authority” in Yuqing Palace, even attempting to attack Consort Yi, the impression she left on the Empress Dowager had been indelible. Combined with the litany of crimes the Emperor had laid against the Wulan family, the Empress Dowager’s disdain for Noble Consort Wu had reached its peak.
Though she pitied Yinzuo, time had dulled her sympathy. Most of her maternal affection now lay with Yinqi and the Crown Prince. So much so that she had nearly forgotten about the poisoning of the Rongjun Prince.
Now, it wasn’t Noble Consort Wu’s plea for justice that troubled her—but the confession presented by the Judicial Office.
If this is true… how could it be?
Impossible!
Kangxi rotated the jade ring on his finger and said solemnly, “Do not fret, Imperial Mother. Truth cannot be falsified, nor falsehood made true. The confession implicates Suo Etu and mentions Yuqing Palace. The courtyard where Lady Liu resided is Suo Etu’s property—this much is irrefutable. As for Yuqing Palace…”
He paused, his voice softening. “Baocheng has permitted a search. We await Liang Jiugong’s return with his findings.”
The Grand Empress Dowager sighed but remained silent. The Empress Dowager shook her head and said anxiously, “Your Majesty, you must not be swayed by partial accounts. The Crown Prince is only ten—how could he be the mastermind? Have you forgotten—it was he who saved Yinzuo’s life!”
Kangxi shared her sentiment entirely. He could not believe the Crown Prince had any involvement.
Baocheng is an elder brother beyond compare. If he wished harm upon Yinzuo, why would he go to such lengths to save him?
Yet, since Lady Liu had been taken into custody, further investigations along her trail had uncovered much that could no longer be concealed—
In the early years, when Suo Etu was still the Minister of the Imperial Household, he secretly replaced the palace servants with a large number of his own trusted subordinates to serve in Yuqing Palace. Just half a month ago, they had still been in contact.
This matter nearly touched the emperor’s forbidden nerve. Startled by the realization of Suo Etu’s grand ambitions, Kangxi’s first thought after his furious outburst was that the Crown Prince had been manipulated by that old fox, Suo Etu!
Regarding the poisoning of Yinzuo, Baocheng might have been aware, but with Yuqing Palace under Suo Etu’s control, he couldn’t reveal even a hint to others. He could only do his best to save his sixth brother by using the opportunity to visit the young horses…
After spinning such theories in his mind, Kangxi was both moved and heartbroken. But before his heartache could linger, Lady Liu’s confession arrived.
The confession, however, told a different story: “The sachet used to poison Prince Rong was the Crown Prince’s idea, refined and perfected by Lord Suo, all because of the character ‘zuo’ in Yinzuo’s name! His Highness ordered Mingyun and Mingxin to make the sachets. Due to the difficulty in sourcing the ingredients, only two were produced—one eventually reached this servant, and the other was hidden in Mingyun’s vanity case, kept for emergencies.”
“If the eunuchs doubt this, they need only search the quarters of Mingyun and Mingxin, located in the eastern side chamber nearest the sleeping palace… Those two are the Crown Prince’s personal maids, utterly devoted to their master. This servant, having fulfilled her role, was taken out of the palace by Lord Suo to live in comfort. The same fate awaits them—His Highness would never mistreat those who have served him well!”
The confession was too confident, leaving no room for ambiguity. The details about Mingyun and Mingxin’s residence and the sachet’s hiding place were so precise that it sounded half-convincing at first hearing.
Yet the Crown Prince usually only kept He Zhuer and a few young eunuchs by his side. As for Mingyun and Mingxin, even Kangxi had rarely seen them, let alone Liang Jiugong…
To verify Lady Liu’s confession, there was only one path left: a search.
Noble Consort Wu was still under house arrest and should not have appeared in Cining Palace. Even as Yinzuo’s birth mother, Kangxi had no intention of summoning her.
The Empress Dowager likewise held no favor for Noble Consort Wu. It was only upon the Grand Empress Dowager’s insistence that she was finally allowed in, leading to the heart-wrenching sobs that had just filled the hall.
After hearing the debate over the “authenticity of the confession,” Noble Consort Wu seethed with hatred. Every word from the Empress Dowager was an attempt to exonerate the Crown Prince—how could she not understand?
And the emperor…
The emperor’s favoritism toward the Crown Prince was no secret. Even if the evidence were laid bare before him, he would likely punish Suo Etu instead, letting the Crown Prince escape unscathed.
Though Noble Consort Wu had braced herself for the Crown Prince’s immunity, the scene unfolding before her still made her tremble with fury.
All she wanted was justice for Yinzuo!
During her confinement in Yonghe Palace, revenge had consumed her every thought. Now that the mastermind behind the plot had been revealed—none other than the widely praised Crown Prince of Yuqing Palace, with Suo Etu merely an accomplice—her rage knew no bounds.
At just ten years old, his heart was already so venomous. Over a single character in a name, he would scheme against a four-year-old brother—was he even fit to be Crown Prince?!
The bitter irony was that despite the irrefutable evidence, the emperor’s bias remained unshaken. Yinzuo’s poisoning was undeniably linked to Yuqing Palace, yet the emperor still sought the Crown Prince’s opinion, shielding him at every turn…
Each detail, each injustice, stoked Noble Consort Wu’s hatred until her eyes burned red, her tears flowing even more fiercely. “Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, how can this confession be false? Suo Etu sheltering Lady Liu is fact, just as his frequent dealings with the Crown Prince in Yuqing Palace are fact!”
With a bitter laugh, she continued, “If not for Yinzuo’s attendants uncovering the suspicious ties between Lady Liu and Mrs. Wulan, peeling back layer after layer, we would never have found that wretched servant’s hiding place! You say the Crown Prince saved Yinzuo… Yes, this consort acknowledges it. But that wasn’t his goal—he didn’t want Yinzuo dead. He wanted him adopted away, wanted him stripped of his brilliance, so he could no longer pose a threat…”
Her words sent shockwaves through the hall. Before Kangxi could slam the table in anger, the Grand Empress Dowager shut her eyes and rebuked sharply, “Wu Yashi, you go too far!”
Noble Consort Wu immediately prostrated herself, kowtowing repeatedly, her voice hoarse. “Venerable Ancestor, Yinzuo’s cleverness is ruined, and so is this consort’s life! All I seek is justice—”
The emperor’s gaze upon her could no longer be described as merely “dark.”
At that very moment, Liang Jiugong hurried into the hall, breathless and visibly conflicted. Bowing to Kangxi, he announced, “Your Majesty, the sachet is real…”
He gestured to the tray behind him, where the poisonous sachet lay, identical to the one Lady Liu had given Yinzuo.
At this, the Grand Empress Dowager’s fingers stilled on her prayer beads, the Empress Dowager’s face paled, Noble Consort Wu smirked in triumph, and Kangxi’s brow furrowed deeply.
These words happened to reach the Crown Prince’s ears as he stepped into the hall.
His limbs turned ice-cold, his heart plummeting to the depths.
Mingyun and Mingxin—they were palace maids sent by his grand-uncle. They must have been bribed.
Even after reorganizing Yuqing Palace, was it still not enough? Such relentless, insidious methods…
Then, Liang Jiugong paused and added calmly, “But it wasn’t found in the eastern side chamber. It was discovered in a storage room near the stables. Mingyun and Mingxin aren’t the Crown Prince’s personal maids—they’re lowly stable hands! This servant verified everything. Lady Liu’s confession holds no water, and Noble Consort Wu’s accusations against the Crown Prince are baseless.”
The Chief Eunuch might as well have outright called it a frame-up.
…
The stables?
Everyone was stunned.
Only the Crown Prince trembled, his tension and panic vanishing in an instant. His lips parted slightly, revealing an expression of sheer astonishment.
He glanced furtively at He Zhuer, then back, as if he had narrowly escaped disaster, his inner turmoil beyond words.
Some time ago, he had taken Consort Yi’s advice to heart, resolving to purge Suo Etu’s spies from his household. He had ordered He Zhuer to keep only the loyal Hu Ming and Hu Guang, expelling the rest from the inner chambers and assigning them menial tasks under close surveillance.
Mingyun and Mingxin… must have been relocated from the eastern chambers to the stables by He Zhuer.
The Crown Prince struggled to recall his other orders.
Ah, yes—they were forbidden from sending messages, and any suspicious behavior had to be reported immediately. Also, they were to take all their belongings, leaving nothing behind!
Those last two rules had been Consort Yi’s personal advice.
At the time, he had hesitated, finding it too harsh. After all, these were palace servants sent by his grand-uncle, who had served him for years. Didn’t they deserve some consideration?
But after leaving Yikun Palace, wrestling with his guilty conscience, he had gritted his teeth and followed Yunxiu’s instructions.
Now, as he slowly drew a deep breath, his eyes shone with awe.
Consort Yi… truly foresaw everything!
