The Chang Residence.
"What? The Qin Prince's Mansion is building granaries and setting up porridge kitchens outside?"
Madam Chang, lying on the bed, wore a vicious expression, her face twisted with rage. Even the old maidservant beside her couldn't help but take a step back in fear.
"That's right," the maidservant replied nervously. "The Qin Prince's Mansion even replaced our plain porridge with meat porridge. Now, everyone outside is saying... saying that the Qin Prince is the true philanthropist."
They were even stepping on the Chang family's reputation to praise the Qin Prince.
Hearing this, Madam Chang's voice instantly rose several octaves. "That good-for-nothing Qin Prince—how dare he call himself a philanthropist?"
To have her most prized reputation stolen away was no different from having her life taken.
A murderous intent slowly took root in Madam Chang's heart.
"I've worked so hard to build this reputation, only for someone else to reap the rewards," Madam Chang muttered darkly. "Nanny, if I swallow this humiliation, I'll never be able to hold my head high in the Great Qi Empire again."
"Help me to the front courtyard to see the master."
Front Courtyard.
Chang Qing was already overwhelmed by the embezzled silver when he saw his sickly wife approaching. His frown deepened. "Why aren’t you resting in your room? What are you doing here?"
Madam Chang knelt before him. "My lord, I have a plan to resolve the Chang family’s urgent crisis."
"What plan?"
"Eliminate the Qin Prince."
Chang Qing instinctively moved to cover her mouth, his eyes darting around in alarm. "Are you out of your mind? How can you speak such treason in broad daylight?"
"My lord, you know as well as I do that once the Qin Prince solidifies his position in court, the Chang family will be doomed." As Chang Qing’s lawful wife, Madam Chang understood his thoughts perfectly. "Rather than wait for death, we should fight with everything we have."
"With the Crown Prince’s support, the Chang family isn’t in as dire a situation as you claim."
Madam Chang let out a bitter laugh. "My lord, last time when the shops were in trouble, the Eastern Palace could still help us with silver. But look now—the Crown Prince has repeatedly avoided you, and the Imperial Grandson personally accompanied the Qin Prince to deal with our family."
"My lord, if the Chang family can no longer supply the Eastern Palace with vast sums of money, will the Eastern Palace still be our ally?"
Chang Qing fell into a long silence before finally releasing a heavy sigh. "Tell me your plan."
......
In just a month, Song Yu had multiplied the imperial treasury’s silver several times over.
Emperor Yuanyou was immensely pleased, praising Song Yu repeatedly during court sessions and even hinting at allowing him to build his own faction in court.
Outside the palace, Song Yu’s generous acts gradually reversed his former reputation as a wastrel.
Qin Prince's Mansion.
"Now the commoners are calling me the Virtuous Prince," Song Yu boasted, his face suddenly appearing in front of Song Shihuan, startling her so much that her brush slipped, leaving an ink blot on the paper.
"Father, you’ve said this at least eight hundred times already."
At first, she had enthusiastically praised him, but now she could barely muster a response.
"Ah Huan, I feel like hearing it from my own lips isn’t impactful enough," Song Yu said, his eyes gleaming. "Why don’t you come with me to the porridge kitchen and hear for yourself how the people praise me?"
With that, he tried to drag Song Shihuan outside.
She shook her head helplessly. Fine—she’d indulge her father’s joy over his newfound reputation.
Porridge Kitchen.
People lined up eagerly for a bowl of steaming meat porridge, their faces alight with anticipation.
Those who had already received their portions praised the Qin Prince’s benevolence without exception.
Song Yu’s grin nearly reached his ears, though he tried to maintain a composed demeanor. "Ah Huan, seeing is believing."
"Everyone is singing your praises, Father," Song Shihuan humored him. "At this rate, your reputation might soon surpass even the Eastern Palace!"
The flattery struck right at Song Yu’s heart. He was so elated he could have spun in circles on the spot—heaven had finally opened its eyes!
But just as Song Yu basked in his newfound glory, disaster struck.
A ragged little boy came running in a panic, shouting, "Don’t drink the porridge! Wang Wu died after drinking it!"
The crowd froze mid-sip.
"Where did this brat come from, spouting nonsense?" a man scolded. "I’ve been drinking this for days with no problem."
Yet the moment he finished speaking, he clutched his stomach and collapsed.
Within seconds, he was dead.
In an instant, countless bowls shattered on the ground. The porridge kitchen was smashed to pieces by the furious mob, the scene descending into chaos.
Even the Qin Prince's servants sent to distribute the porridge were beaten black and blue.
Song Yu’s expression turned grave. He glanced at Song Shihuan. "Ah Huan, go back to the mansion. I need to find out what happened."
How could the meat porridge from his Qin Prince's Mansion be killing people?
"Father." Song Shihuan grabbed his sleeve. "This is suspicious. Give Qi Xi your token and have him summon Imperial Physician Mei to examine the porridge. And please, be careful yourself."
Song Shihuan returned to the mansion and waited for Song Yu’s return, but even as dawn broke, the gates remained shut.
Morning Court.
The atmosphere in court was unusually tense—everyone knew about the deaths caused by the Qin Prince’s porridge.
Imperial Physician Mei had already concluded his investigation: the meat in the porridge was contaminated with diseased horse flesh, lethal to humans.
Emperor Yuanyou sat on the throne, his expression unreadable.
"Present your memorials or withdraw," Wu Qi announced.
"Your Majesty, this subject has a memorial," a minister stepped forward. "I accuse the Qin Prince of lacking virtue, mixing diseased horse meat into the porridge and endangering the people."
"I accuse the Qin Prince of seeking fame at the cost of lives!"
"I accuse the Qin Prince of lax governance!"
"I accuse—"
One after another, ministers stepped forth, all targeting the same man: Qin Prince Song Yu.
Upon closer inspection, most were the very officials Song Yu had recently pressed for debt repayment—or their allies.
In an unprecedented scene, the entire court united in condemnation!
Wu Qi’s heart pounded. Such a unified impeachment had never occurred since the founding of the Great Qi Empire. Today was the first.
Emperor Yuanyou twisted the jade ring on his thumb, faster and faster. Wu Qi, as the emperor’s personal attendant, knew this was a sign of rising fury.
"We beg Your Majesty to immediately imprison the Qin Prince in the imperial prison and deal with him severely!"
"We implore Your Majesty to administer justice!"
Emperor Yuanyou surveyed the sea of kneeling officials and let out a cold laugh.
"I ask you all—how did the diseased horse meat end up in the porridge? Which of you has investigated this?"
The court fell dead silent. Not a single official could answer.
The emperor’s rage erupted. "You demand punishment without even knowing the full story? Punish whom? Punish you useless fools who sit idle in your posts?"
