"Impossible!"
Song Yanzheng instinctively refuted, though he had never been particularly fond of the child. Still, the boy couldn’t just die like this.
"Why would I lie to you?"
Chang Ling'er's hair was disheveled, strands sticking to her face. "Half an hour ago, he died of poisoning. Imperial Physician Mei examined him—there was no saving him."
"It must be you who killed Ah Shun! You envied him for being my firstborn, so you heartlessly took his life." Seeing Chang Ling'er's expression, which showed no sign of deceit, Song Yanzheng's tone turned vicious. "The Emperor will never forgive you. Ah Shun was his only great-grandson."
"You killed your own child!"
Chang Ling'er suddenly bit down on Song Yanzheng's shoulder. The metallic taste of blood spread in her mouth as she heard his pained cry, but she only clenched harder, her teeth sinking deeper.
Flesh tore.
"You laced the incense you gave me with musk. Ah Shun stayed in my chambers—he died from musk poisoning. Song Yanzheng, you murdered your only child with your own hands. From now on, I won’t allow you to take any concubines. I’ll watch as you die without an heir."
Chang Ling'er burst into hysterical laughter. "Harm others, and you harm yourself. This is retribution—all of it, retribution!"
"From now on, I will personally oversee His Highness’s daily needs."
She emphasized the word "personally" with chilling clarity.
Staggering toward the door, Chang Ling'er resolved to torment Song Yanzheng just as Song Xiyan had tortured Song Yanchao—making him wish for death but unable to attain it.
Behind her, Song Yanzheng still seemed unable to process the fact that he had indirectly caused Ah Shun’s death.
He tried to force out tears, but none came.
When he tried to recall Ah Shun’s face, his memory failed him.
"Chang Ling'er, let me see Ah Shun. Just once—let me see him one last time."
Chang Ling'er paused mid-step but didn’t turn back.
"You don’t deserve to see him."
......
As an infant who died young, Ah Shun could not be buried in the imperial mausoleum.
Song Shihuan personally pleaded for an exception, and Emperor Yuanyou permitted Ah Shun to be buried in the cemetery near the Chang family’s ancestral home.
"This time... thank you..."
In just a few days, Lady Chang seemed to have aged a decade. Chang Ling'er, too, often stared blankly, her eyes hollow.
"If possible, dig two extra graves beside Ah Shun’s. When Ling'er and I die, bury us there to keep him company."
"The child was innocent, but was the concubine innocent too?"
Song Shihuan fixed her gaze on Lady Chang. She had intervened for Ah Shun’s sake—out of pity for the child, not for Lady Chang or Chang Ling'er.
"I am guilty."
Lady Chang suddenly broke into sobs. "Ah Shun was such a good boy. From birth, he rarely cried, always laughing when teased. He drank his milk obediently, slept soundly, and had just learned to walk. He could already call me 'Grandmother.'"
"It was my carelessness that cost him his life."
"A child blessed by fortune would never enter an ill-fated household."
Song Shihuan’s voice was cold. Lady Chang’s weeping ceased as she looked up through her tears, only to see Song Shihuan’s expression—utterly unmoved.
"The Ping Prince's Mansion has no luck left to keep Ah Shun."
With that, Song Shihuan left the mansion. As she stepped outside, the sky, after days of rain, finally cleared.
A faint smile touched her lips.
To be born as the young master of the Ping Prince's Mansion was to be destined as Song Yanzheng’s pawn.
Better to be reborn into a better life.
May his next life be peaceful and free.
......
Purple Dawn Palace.
"What a rare sunny day. It’s good that you and your father are willing to accompany me for a stroll in the imperial garden." Emperor Yuanyou exhaled deeply. The recent gloomy weather, coupled with the mess at the Ping Prince's Mansion, had left him stifled with frustration.
"Your Majesty spends all day in the palace reviewing memorials—it’s not good for your health."
Song Shihuan held the Emperor’s hand. "Eunuch Wu, remind His Majesty daily to take walks. The flowers in the imperial garden are blooming beautifully. Seeing them will lift his spirits."
"Ah, only Ah Huan cares for this old man."
Song Yu, witnessing this, rolled his eyes dramatically. At his age, and still talking about being "cared for"?
“Brat! Are you prepared for the provincial exams? Confident you’ll pass as a juren (provincial graduate)?”
The sudden barrage of questions caught Song Yu off guard.
A ju ren is no xiu cai (licentiate). A golden ju ren, a silver jin shi (metropolitan graduate)—in common households, even one ju ren is enough to earn the title 'Master ju ren.'
Emperor Yuanyou glared at Song Yu. The Song family had never produced many illustrious figures. It took generations of accumulated luck to birth an emperor like him.
The thought made the Emperor preen a little.
"I’m confident."
Song Yu remained unshaken.
"Then, who do you think should preside over this year’s provincial exams?"
The Emperor posed the question deliberately. Song Shihuan glanced at her father, knowing how touchy he became whenever the topic of examiners arose.
But this time, Song Yu surprised them both.
With a grin, he answered, "If possible, let it be Ye Shijie again."
"Heaven assigns great tasks only after tempering one’s will and testing one’s endurance. Minister Ye has taught me much. With him as examiner, even if I fail, I’ll accept it."
Song Yu flashed a bright smile. His feelings for the old man were a mix of admiration and exasperation.
"Very well. I grant your request."
......
"What? His Highness personally chose Ye Shijie?"
Shen Residence.
Shen Mingwen paced like an ant on a hot pan. The Prince’s favor toward Ye Shijie filled him with dread!
"Father, you can’t be the Prince’s examiner anyway. Ye Shijie is the best choice. There’s nothing wrong with the Prince’s decision."
Shen Qingping lounged lazily, further irritating his father.
"Fool! Two tigers cannot share one mountain. Your father and Ye Shijie are like oil and water!" Shen Mingwen aimed a kick at his son but missed. "If one day the Prince appoints Ye Shijie as Imperial Tutor, how will I... how will I face others?"
"What’s there to fear?"
Shen Qingping couldn’t grasp his father’s anxiety.
"Ugh, talking to you is like playing the lute to a cow! I need to review my books. Tomorrow, I’ll visit the Qin Prince's Mansion and thoroughly instruct His Highness on the provincial exams."
As Shen Mingwen hurried off, Shen Qingping smirked mischievously.
He even called out loudly:
"Your son is now the Crown Prince’s Junior Tutor. Who knows? Maybe one day... the Prince will appoint me as Imperial Tutor! Don’t worry, Father—I’m younger than Ye Shijie. I’ll definitely outlive him!"
"Shut your mouth!"
Shen Mingwen fumed, quickening his steps.
