The name Liu Qin echoed through the grand hall, causing almost everyone present to pale.
Serving by His Majesty’s side was a duty that brooked no carelessness. Those who attended to the emperor in Qianqing Palace were all individuals of impeccable backgrounds. Even if they leaned toward a particular consort or accepted "gifts," their loyalty to the sovereign was beyond question.
Liu Qin was a seasoned figure in the palace. Having followed the emperor since his teens, his competence was beyond reproach, earning him the position of chief steward. Apart from Liang Jiugong, who had served the emperor since childhood as his most trusted aide, Liu Qin was the most respected figure in Qianqing Palace. When he stepped outside, officials high and low would respectfully address him as "Steward Liu."
Yet, according to Consort Rong, Liu Qin—the deputy chief steward of Qianqing Palace—had always been the Imperial Noble Consort’s man from the very beginning…
The Imperial Noble Consort’s fingers trembled, her face turning ashen. But even paler was Consort Hui.
After a moment of disbelief, Consort Hui took a deep breath and found herself believing Consort Rong’s words by sixty percent.
Liu Qin had always been fond of gold and silver. Years ago, she had bribed him to serve as her eyes and ears, feeding her information—including the emperor’s whereabouts—helping Yanxi Palace evade numerous schemes.
Thanks to their long-standing cooperation, she had trusted Liu Qin implicitly. When rumors spread that Fulu had provoked the Eldest Prince, she had believed them without verification.
But if Liu Qin was the Imperial Noble Consort’s man…
If he had concealed his allegiance for so many years, scheming for his true master all along, then both Consort Yi and herself had been used as mere pawns?!
Consort Hui closed her eyes briefly, her chest heaving violently as if she had been slapped dozens of times. The Eldest Prince, seated beside her, stiffened and whispered urgently, "Mother?"
"Your mother is fine… keep listening," Consort Hui forced out through gritted teeth, her voice icy.
The once-celebratory banquet had been thrown into chaos in an instant. Even the sound of a needle dropping would have echoed like thunder. With such a shocking revelation coming from Consort Rong, the other consorts either lowered their heads in silence or exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to break the suffocating stillness.
Liu Qin?
Not only Consort Hui, but Yunxiu also felt a dawning realization.
The doubts she had harbored suddenly made sense. Indeed, the schemes of sowing discord and stirring trouble could not have been the work of a mere servant.
Skeptical, malicious, and gleeful gazes converged on the Imperial Noble Consort. Clutching her wrist tightly, she fought back dizziness and snapped, "Liu Qin and I have never crossed paths. Consort Rong, there must be limits to your slander—"
"Indeed, never crossed paths. That is precisely the cleverness of the Imperial Noble Consort," Consort Rong smiled faintly before turning to Kangxi. "Your Majesty, forgive this humble consort for speaking out of turn, but surely someone must know Liu Qin’s true background?"
"He entered the palace in the tenth year of Shunzhi’s reign and was transferred to Jingren Palace the following year to serve the Empress Dowager, where he remained for seven or eight years. Later, he committed an offense and was demoted to sweeping duties at Fengtian Hall. Yet somehow, he was reassigned to the Princes’ Quarters to attend to Your Majesty as a child," Consort Rong stated. "This is what my people uncovered. There may be gaps in the records."
The mention of the Empress Dowager drew sharp gasps from some. Kangxi’s eyes darkened abruptly.
The Imperial Noble Consort hailed from the Tong Family—the same as the Empress Dowager. They were aunt and niece by blood…
By now, the tension in the hall was unbearable.
Seemingly resolved to her course, Consort Rong cared little for the collateral damage. Perhaps sensing the emperor’s rising fury, she lowered her gaze and spoke rapidly, "The reason I noticed Liu Qin was pure coincidence. Had my maid Shaoyao not stumbled upon him… how could I have been certain he was the Imperial Noble Consort’s man?"
With that, she glanced toward the direction of Prince Rong before stepping to the center of the hall and prostrating herself deeply. "…This humble consort begs Your Majesty to dismiss the princes and princesses from the hall."
After a long pause, Kangxi said, "Granted. Summon Liu Qin."
Liang Jiugong wiped cold sweat from his brow and murmured an acknowledgment before scurrying out of Yongshou Palace as if fleeing ghosts.
Yinzuo, confused, was led away by his wet nurse. Seeing Yinzhen remain unmoving in his seat, he called softly, "Fourth Brother!"
Yinzhen sniffled and shook his head, gritting his teeth before kneeling abruptly. "Imperial Father, this son will not leave."
Kangxi paused, pinching the bridge of his nose before sighing, his anger cooling slightly. "Yinzhen…"
The Fourth Prince remained stubbornly kneeling, his back straight and eyes red. The air grew thick as ink.
The Imperial Noble Consort watched the scene, trembling speechlessly.
Suddenly, a clear voice cut through the tension. "Imperial Father!"
The Crown Prince, suppressing his own agitation, stepped forward and knelt beside Yinzhen. "Fourth Brother is distraught. I beg Imperial Father to forgive him! May he sit with me?"
Under normal circumstances, the emperor would not have been distracted, but a flicker of warmth pierced his anger.
"Very well," Kangxi’s voice softened. "Look after your brother."
As the Crown Prince’s intervention eased the suffocating tension, Consort Rong curled her fingers, unsure whether to laugh or seethe.
But it mattered little. Even if the Fourth Prince pleaded with tears, Mrs. Tongjia would not escape this unscathed.
The real spectacle was yet to come!
When Liu Qin was brought into Yongshou Palace, his unease was palpable. Liang Jiugong had greeted him with a chilling tone: "Steward Liu, His Majesty summons you. Will you come with me?"
Liang Jiugong’s expression screamed impending doom. Before Liu Qin could react, he was seized by several eunuchs and dragged away.
Upon being thrown onto the floor of Yongshou Palace, his initial fear gave way to resentment. Clenching his teeth, he thought, You old wretch! Just wait till the tables turn—I’ll make you pay!
Scrambling to his feet, his face burning with humiliation, Liu Qin looked up to find the Imperial Noble Consort, the Noble Consort, and other lesser consorts staring at him with strange expressions. A terrible premonition seized him.
Before he could even kneel properly, Kangxi’s icy gaze swept over him—a look that chilled him to the bone.
For the first time, real fear took hold.
What in heaven’s name is happening?
A seasoned steward, Liu Qin steadied himself despite his trembling legs and instinctively glanced toward Consort Hui—
Consort Hui nearly choked, shutting her eyes briefly. That treacherous cur!
Consort Rong, of course, noticed the silent exchange.
With a mocking smile, she thought, Pull one weed, and the whole patch comes up.
"Steward Liu, surely you recall the twenty-sixth day of the eighth month last year—who you met and what you did?" Consort Rong demanded sharply. "Shaoyao, you tell them!"
At the mention of that date, Liu Qin was momentarily confused. But seconds later, his face changed.
"Reporting to Your Majesty and all esteemed consorts," Shaoyao began nervously, her head bowed, "on the twenty-sixth of the eighth month—the day before the Ninth Prince’s bathing ceremony—this servant passed by the northeastern corner of Chengqian Palace and glimpsed two figures: Nanny Zhen, the Imperial Noble Consort’s attendant, and Steward Liu. At first, I thought nothing of it, but I overheard Nanny Zhen mention ‘Lady Liu’—the former wet nurse of the Sixth Prince, now Prince Rong…"
The Imperial Noble Consort had initially thought that Consort Rong was using Liu Qin’s provocation to expose the truth—that she had cared for Yinzhen for two days and nights. Why else would Consort Rong mention that phrase, "pretending to have a mother’s heart"?
Almost immediately, she dismissed this suspicion.
How could Consort Rong have any proof? Impossible! It was merely speculation.
She had dismissed all the imperial physicians and palace servants, leaving only Nanny Zhen by her side. Even if Consort Rong had eyes and ears everywhere, she couldn’t possibly have anticipated this.
Unless… she had caught wind of the rumors about Fulu’s extraordinary martial prowess—rumors that Liu Qin had deliberately spread without her consent.
The Imperial Noble Consort’s mind raced, quickly formulating a response.
If this was about the rumors, she would have no choice but to sacrifice Liu Qin, a chess piece left behind by her aunt. If Consort Rong pressed further and uncovered Liu Qin’s missteps, she would have to admit defeat.
What did it matter if she suffered losses or lost face? Her standing in her cousin’s heart had already reached this point. As an Imperial Noble Consort with no real power, what else did she have left to lose?
At worst, she would be reprimanded or placed under house arrest.
But then—Consort Rong mentioned Yinzuo!
In an instant, the Imperial Noble Consort’s hands and feet turned icy. Yinzhen… Yinzhen was still by the Crown Prince’s side…
Meanwhile, Shaoyao continued her testimony: "This servant was puzzled as to why Nanny Zhen mentioned Wet Nurse Liu, but fearing discovery, I hurried away."
Consort Rong sighed softly and picked up where Shaoyao left off. "Shaoyao reported this to me upon returning to the palace. Your Majesty, you cannot blame me for suspecting—especially since Noble Consort Wu’s delivery was imminent…"
"I ordered my people to closely monitor Chief Steward Liu’s movements. The next day, coinciding with the biannual family visitation, they followed him from a distance and saw him leading a palace maid dressed as a nanny! The woman rushed out of the palace, and the guards confirmed she had presented a token from Chengqian Palace."
"The guards had never seen Lady Liu before and, unaware she was a convict from the Punishment Bureau, let her pass. But they remembered her face clearly. If Your Majesty has a portrait, you need only ask them to confirm!"
At the end, Consort Rong paused and added softly, "Who could have guessed that someone who should have been in the mass graves instead slipped out of the palace unharmed? Unless it was orchestrated by someone else, it must have all been under the Imperial Noble Consort’s control."
Those who knew the truth understood—the "someone else" referred to Suo Etu!
"Your Highness schemed meticulously, all to murder a four-year-old child—Prince Rong, the Fourth Prince’s own younger brother. You manipulated everyone like puppets, and yet that wasn’t enough. Now, you seek to become the Fourth Prince’s birth mother. Does your conscience not trouble you? Can you sleep soundly at night? I merely wish to see justice served for Prince Rong."
...
As her words faded, silence fell over Yongshou Palace.
Liu Qin trembled like a leaf, his body weak with fear. "Your Majesty, this servant is wronged! This is all Consort Rong’s fabrication! I have never had any dealings with Chengqian Palace, Your Majesty!"
He then spat venomously, "If Consort Rong suspected me, why wait months to report it? If she truly wanted justice for Prince Rong, isn’t this too late?"
It was a blatant insinuation that Consort Rong had ulterior motives.
"I knew you wouldn’t admit it," Consort Rong said coldly. "But aside from this, wasn’t it you who spread those rumors and incited Young Master Fulu to challenge Young Master Kuien? And didn’t you rush to a secluded corner of the imperial garden to meet with Chengqian Palace’s senior maid? Shaoyao witnessed it all."
Liu Qin’s face turned ashen.
"Your Majesty, I did not withhold the truth about Prince Rong’s poisoning," Consort Rong continued, kowtowing. "But suspicion is merely suspicion. With only Shaoyao’s testimony and Liu Qin’s connection to Nanny Zhen, I couldn’t be certain he was the Imperial Noble Consort’s man—so I dared not report it."
"Without solid evidence, the Imperial Noble Consort could easily distance herself, sacrificing Liu Qin and claiming he acted alone in harming the Sixth Prince! But this time, Liu Qin’s efforts to spread rumors about Young Master Fulu’s prowess involved many palace informants. I caught his trail and uncovered his ties to Chengqian Palace."
Her meaning was clear—this time, even if the Imperial Noble Consort sacrificed Liu Qin, she wouldn’t escape unscathed.
Kangxi closed his eyes. The Crown Prince’s expression was grave, and Yinzhen stood frozen in shock.
His younger brother… was also killed by his mother?
He was so young…
After what felt like an eternity, the Fourth Prince staggered to his feet and fell to his knees with a thud. "Imperial Father… Yinzhen does not wish to change his lineage records. I beg Your Majesty to revoke the decree!"
