The courtyard of Kunning Palace basked in gentle sunshine, while the flower branches beneath the wall grew wildly out of control. Trusting no one else to do the job properly, Consort Zhen had personally picked up a pair of silver shears and was standing on tiptoe, snipping away with crisp little clicks.
Princess Zhaoyue was running madly around the courtyard. Clutched in her hands was a small kite the size of a watermelon, and the spool jerked and wobbled as she tugged at it. Yet after running for quite some time, she still could not get the kite over the wall. It merely spun in circles in midair.
Watching the princess’s tireless enthusiasm, the palace steward could not help covering her lips with a smile. “Our princess is already thirteen. Before we know it, she’ll be a young lady grown.”
The words “young lady grown” reached Consort Zhen’s ears. Her hand suddenly trembled, and the sharp tip of the shears accidentally sliced her fingertip. A bead of blood immediately welled up.
“Your Highness!” the steward cried softly.
Consort Zhen knitted her brows, a flash of pain crossing her face. She promptly wiped away the blood with a handkerchief, then turned to look at Zhaoyue, who was running about carefree in the distance.
Thirteen. Far too old—truly far too old.
In another two years, she would come of age. By then, Zhaoyue would have to begin discussing marriage and leave home as a bride.
She quickly concealed her worry and asked, “How has Jun Mulan been faring lately?”
The steward leaned closer, unable to hide her smugness. “She’s still confined to Jingren Palace, reflecting behind closed doors. The emperor never explicitly told her why, so she’s probably still completely baffled and has no idea what she’s supposed to be reflecting on.”
Consort Zhen gave a faint scoff. Her gaze remained fixed on Zhaoyue as she said lightly, “I only learned by chance back then, when Empress Cao mentioned it, that the late Consort Chen had been mute. To understand what she meant, the emperor even went out of his way to learn an entire system of gestures. After ascending the throne, he built Fuze Court in the capital specifically to provide aid to the mute. He took ‘love me, love my dog’ to such an extreme that Jun Mulan was bound to suffer for it.”
The steward added, “But in my opinion, the people at Jingren Palace only panicked for a single day. After that, they went on doing whatever they pleased. Yesterday, I could hear through the palace wall that Noble Consort Liang was still in the mood to practice her martial arts every day.”
The smile vanished from Consort Zhen’s face. “Isn’t that because she has a capable son? The emperor now places great hopes in Shen Zheng, so naturally he won’t be too harsh with Jun Mulan.”
“What about the Fourth Prince, then?” the steward asked.
Consort Zhen let out a long sigh, lowering the shears to her side. “There is little I can do about affairs of the court. I can only make more arrangements for him here in the inner palace. If He’er is to have even a chance of contending for the throne, we must make the emperor grow wary of the Jun family.”
“What should we do next?”
The card of Consort Chen would lose its usefulness after being played once. Besides, Consort Zhen’s knowledge of Consort Chen was limited to that alone.
Just then, Zhaoyue, tired from running, casually tossed aside her kite and rushed toward Consort Zhen. Consort Zhen hurriedly threw the shears to the ground, opened her arms, and pulled her daughter tightly into her embrace. Stroking the girl’s soft hair, she murmured helplessly, “Give me some more time to think…”
Of those still living, only a handful knew the old secrets concerning Consort Chen.
The Yongning Hou family had only been transferred back to the capital from the northern frontier after Emperor Shunyuan ascended the throne, so they had never even met Consort Chen. Of everyone at court, the only person who might know what had truly happened back then was Duke Liu, who had supported Emperor Shunyuan’s accession at the most perilous moment.
After Liu Kangren had escaped danger, Duke Liu’s health had also recovered, and his body had grown sturdy again. Upon hearing that Wen Zhuo had come to visit, he hurried out personally to welcome him, his face brimming with warmth.
“Has the Academy Head come today to discuss some important matter?”
With a wave of his hand, he immediately had a servant bring out some fine Songluo tea.
“Thank you, Your Grace.” Wen Zhuo inclined his head and accepted the teacup.
The Duchess raised a hand to dismiss the servants, then calmly came over and sat down. She had once fought alongside Duke Liu on the battlefield and was no ordinary sheltered noblewoman. Whenever an honored guest visited their home, she would dress properly and join her husband in discussing affairs.
Wen Zhuo took a small sip of tea to moisten his throat, then set the cup aside. Getting straight to the point, he said, “There is something I wish to ask you about. The matter is urgent, so I will not waste time on formalities. What do you know about Consort Chen?”
“Consort Chen?” Liu Yuanqing was startled. Clearly, he had not expected Wen Zhuo to ask about her.
The white go stone in Wen Zhuo’s palm had grown hot from being rubbed between his fingers. He answered honestly, “Noble Consort Liang was recently ordered by His Majesty to reflect behind closed doors after punishing a palace maid who had difficulty speaking. I suspect this matter is connected to Consort Chen. I hope you will think carefully, Your Grace.”
Liu Yuanqing drew in a sharp breath and raised a hand to stroke his long beard.
Although he and the Marquis Yongning had often held opposing views and argued until their faces reddened in court, one generation’s disputes did not carry over to the next. He had no prejudice whatsoever against Jun Dingyuan or Jun Mulan. Moreover, because of what had happened to Liu Kangren, Jun Mulan had once suffered a devastating blow, and that had always remained a knot in his heart. Thus, he immediately composed himself and racked his brains for memories.
“At the time, I was stationed at the southern border, guarding the frontier for the late Emperor Kangzhen, when a secret edict suddenly arrived ordering me to return to the capital at once and take charge of the Ministry of War, to stabilize the court.” Liu Yuanqing frowned as he recalled the past. “By the time I had rushed thousands of li back to the capital, I learned that the crown prince had already been assassinated and had died from poisoning. The crown prince was wise and heroic, with all the makings of a great ruler. He had been the overwhelming choice of the court. Once he died, several princes began to stir, and the imperial court was left tottering on the brink of collapse.”
“The late emperor ordered that the crown prince’s death be kept secret and immediately dispatched men to search for the emperor, who was away seeking immortals and visiting Daoist sages. At the time, the late emperor could barely spare any thought for his own safety. He sent more than a dozen squads of imperial guards to search the famous mountains and great rivers, but after a long time with no result, people began to speculate that the emperor, like his elder brother the crown prince, might have met with disaster.”
Even now, recalling the matter still left Liu Yuanqing shaken. It was clear just how perilous the situation had been.
“On the surface, the officials pretended that all was peaceful, but in private they were already restless, each seeking a way out for himself. Then rumors began to spread that Prince Tang had raised more than a thousand dead warriors and had already eliminated all the imperial princes root and branch. His next step, people said, would be to force the late emperor to abdicate.”
Wen Zhuo had heard of the Prince Tang Rebellion as well, but it was a disgraceful scandal of the Great Qian imperial family, and few people ordinarily dared mention it.
“Fortunately, at that critical moment, the emperor was found and brought back. I heard that he had traveled all the way to Mianzhou while searching for an enlightened master who lived beyond the world. There, at a place called Mount Zhe, he lost his way.”
“Mianzhou?” Wen Zhuo’s heart jolted violently, and the go stone in his palm nearly slipped to the floor.
So Emperor Shunyuan had visited Mianzhou that long ago!
Liu Yuanqing nodded and continued, “That’s right. It was the Academy Head’s hometown. At the time, the emperor injured his leg in the mountains and went several days without food or water. He was on the verge of death when someone suddenly took him into their arms and fed him clear spring water and fresh fruit. That was how he managed to survive. In his dazed state, the emperor caught sight of the person who had rescued him and found them so breathtakingly beautiful that they seemed like a heavenly immortal descended to earth. He fell in love at first sight. And the person who saved the emperor was Consort Chen.”
“The emperor brought Consort Chen back to the capital,” Wen Zhuo finished.
There was indeed a Wangxiang Temple on Mount Zhe, where Master Faji was greatly revered. It seemed that Emperor Shunyuan had simply searched in the wrong place back then.
But Wen Zhuo had never imagined that Consort Chen had once been so close to Liangping County.
“Indeed. Though Consort Chen was a mountain girl, crude and uncouth, she had rendered meritorious service by saving His Majesty. Bringing her into the household as a concubine was not entirely out of the question. In any case, the principal consort and the secondary consort had already been chosen, and it was the emperor’s prerogative to take a few more women. At first, no one paid much attention to this village girl. The empire was beset by internal strife and external threats, with undercurrents surging beneath the surface and the great power liable to change hands at any moment. Who would have had the leisure to concern themselves with a mountain girl?”
“At that time, the late emperor’s health had already reached the end of its strength. Before his death, he had to make every possible arrangement for His Majesty. He ordered His Majesty to take Liu Changbai and several other senior ministers as teachers, commanding them to instruct him day and night in the principles of governing the state and cultivating virtue, hoping that His Majesty would soon become a capable heir.”
“Liu Changbai had originally been the crown prince’s tutor. Unwilling to see his most outstanding student fall victim to assassination, he placed all his hopes in His Majesty and held him to exceptionally strict standards.”
“His Majesty had always been lively and energetic, with little liking for restraint. Those days were extraordinarily difficult for him. Yet whenever he had a moment to spare, he would take Consort Chen out to explore the capital and teach her to read. Though I never met Consort Chen myself, I heard that she was exceedingly ill-mannered, utterly lacking in the modesty and decorum expected of a woman. She could climb over walls and up trees more nimbly than any well-trained soldier, and showed His Majesty none of the respect he was due. Even now, I cannot understand what he ever saw in her.”
“Perhaps His Majesty simply loved her wild, unrestrained nature,” the Duchess remarked with a sigh. “She was utterly unlike the women of this world—especially the noble ladies from the great families who filled the princely household.”
Liu Yuanqing neither agreed nor disagreed. He merely continued, “But if His Majesty intended to take her as a concubine, she had to learn the etiquette of the palace. The late emperor could not stand His Majesty’s loose and carefree ways, so he ordered Liu Changbai to discipline him strictly. He also sent several palace governesses to teach Consort Chen the rules of court. In short, after several months, His Majesty finally got his wish and married Consort Chen. Originally, there was no need to make a grand affair of taking a secondary consort, but His Majesty doted on her and insisted on welcoming her with the ceremony meant for a crown princess. Even Empress Liu had never received such honor.”
“I never imagined His Majesty could be so devoted and passionate,” Wen Zhuo remarked, a trace of mockery inevitably coloring his voice.
“At the time, I was investigating the matter of Prince Tang’s assassins and working day and night, so I knew little about what was happening at Prince Jing’s residence. I only knew that His Majesty had thrown tantrums, rolled on the ground, and even threatened to starve himself. He nearly angered the late emperor into vomiting blood. In the end, he got his way and married Consort Chen with the rites of a crown princess.”
“Yet on the very night of the wedding, Consort Chen somehow incurred His Majesty’s displeasure. Early the next morning, she was driven from the princely residence and confined to a separate compound beside the servants’ quarters. No one was permitted to visit her. Consort Chen fell from favor, and His Majesty ceased making a fuss. He began to settle down and earnestly study the duties of a future ruler.”
“Later, when the late emperor’s illness grew critical, Prince Tang finally could not restrain himself any longer. Under the banner of ‘cleansing the emperor’s court,’ he sought to execute Liu Changbai and the other senior ministers, forcing his way into the palace to seize the throne. It was at this crucial moment, amid that tangled and perilous situation, that a fire suddenly broke out in the separate compound. In a single night, Consort Chen was burned to ashes.”
“From that day onward, His Majesty seemed to become an entirely different person.” The hardships of a lifetime flowed through Liu Yuanqing’s eyes as he sighed helplessly. “He began to grow suspicious of the capable generals around him. First, he recalled Marquis Yongning to the capital, using the move to suppress and estrange me. Then, when my resentment had reached its height, he deliberately provoked a dispute between Marquis Yongning and me—a conflict between the north and south—so that we would exhaust one another. Finally, when the time was ripe, he trapped us both in the capital and gradually removed us from the court.”
“He was equally cold toward the senior ministers the late emperor had left behind, including Liu Changbai. One after another, those old ministers were either demoted or sent back to their native villages. There was even a minister of the Board of Rites who merely voiced a few complaints in the chess room. Before long, His Majesty found an excuse to have him executed. In the span of just five years, almost none of the teachers the late emperor had left for him remained.”
“Later, His Majesty posthumously bestowed the title of Consort Chen upon that woman. The Director should know that the character ‘Chen’ stands above all others in the imperial harem, carrying the hidden implication of something reserved exclusively for the emperor. Yet I have never been able to understand it. If His Majesty truly doted on her so deeply, why did he drive her from the princely residence and leave her languishing in that remote compound?”
“Director Wen, that is all I know.” Liu Yuanqing let out a sigh. “After all, Consort Chen came to the capital and died within barely a year. Whatever traces she left behind were burned to nothing in that fire.”
The hall fell silent.
Wen Zhuo lowered his eyes, but his mind raced as he pieced together the scant information, bit by bit.
Consort Chen was from Mianzhou and had lived in the Zhe Mountains. Perhaps she had been born with an impediment that made her speech unclear, yet she possessed breathtaking beauty.
Emperor Shunyuan had cherished her beyond all reason. He had even threatened to starve himself rather than give up his demand to make her his principal consort, to the point that not even the late emperor could stop him.
Yet on the night of their wedding, Emperor Shunyuan had suddenly grown to hate her, ultimately leaving her to burn to death in the separate compound.
After ascending the throne, however, he had posthumously named her Consort Chen, entrusting his grief to the title and remaining haunted by her for more than twenty years.
In the sixteenth year of Shunyuan, Wen Zhuo had first met Emperor Shunyuan during the palace examinations. At the time, the emperor had treated him with warmth and concern, even asking after his family affairs, only to send him away to Bozhou afterward and pay him no further attention.
Yet soon after Wen Zhuo left the capital, Emperor Shunyuan had secretly traveled to Mianzhou. By coincidence, he had arrived in Liangping County, where he happened to meet Lin Yingniang. He had even secretly granted her an imperial appointment, yet had not taken her for himself.
Wen Xu had said that the emperor once asked whether Lin Yingniang had any brothers who could be granted official positions alongside her.
That favor had nothing to do with Wen Zhuo. It concerned only Lin Yingniang—or perhaps it had nothing to do with Lin Yingniang either, but with the face she possessed.
During the Dragon River fire sacrifice, the soul-summoning ritual had revealed only a blurred silhouette, yet Emperor Shunyuan had recognized at a glance that it was not Consort Chen.
Wen Zhuo had heard his teacher say that Lin Yingniang had been abandoned as a child. Her parents had fled with her younger brother to escape the Japanese pirates, and after that, all trace of them had vanished.
These scattered clues gradually joined together in his mind, forming a single thread that pointed toward a possibility he did not dare examine too closely.
At that moment, the Duchess suddenly seemed to remember something. After hesitating, she said, “There is one baseless rumor I once heard. I do not know whether I ought to mention it.”
She feared that the matter might be nothing more than an unfounded tale and would instead lead Wen Zhuo astray, so her tone was exceptionally cautious.
Wen Zhuo immediately raised his eyes to her. “Please, Madam. Tell me.”
The Duchess said, “Once, I went with several ladies of the capital to Tanzhe Temple to burn incense and pray for blessings. After paying our respects to the Buddha, we chatted as we walked down the mountain road. The conversation turned to our daughters’ marriages. The Grand Astrologer’s wife sighed repeatedly, saying that her eldest daughter was no longer young but had yet to find a suitable family. She also remarked that the daughter of Grand Secretary Gong was fortunate to have married a young heir from a prominent family in the south—and the current top-scoring scholar of the palace examinations.”
“I had borne only three sons, so I had nothing to contribute to the conversation and merely listened from the side. The wife of Grand Tutor Liu, a descendant of the Langya Wangs, was exceptionally learned and had always held herself to lofty standards. After hearing what the Grand Astrologer’s wife said, she smiled and replied with a line of verse—‘In the vermilion steps and laurel registers, names are reversed; in the purple halls and pearly ranks, positions are hung awry.’”
Wen Zhuo’s knuckles turned white. He pressed the white stone so tightly into his palm that its edges bit painfully into the bones of his hand.
“…You haven’t remembered it incorrectly, have you?”
He did not mean to be disrespectful; he simply could not believe that the palace examination held in the sixteenth year of Emperor Shunyuan’s reign concealed such a secret!
The Duchess slowly shook her head. “At the time, I didn’t dare think too deeply about it, but I remembered those words vividly. Now, having witnessed the Director’s ability to turn the tide, I can’t help but recall them. Perhaps the Grand Tutor’s wife had already revealed the truth with that one remark. Minister Xie was never truly talented enough to become the top scholar.”
