A married princess could decide for herself whether to live in her own princess estate or at her husband's home.
Princess Fucheng and her husband, Marquis Jining, had shared two or three years of mutual affection in their youth. However, even with the noble status of a princess, once she became a daughter-in-law to another family, outsiders would naturally expect her to abide by certain rules of filial piety. If Princess Fucheng were to act arrogantly in front of her parents-in-law, she would inevitably be gossiped about. Yet, if she were to genuinely revere her husband's parents as her own just to appease public opinion, Princess Fucheng was unwilling to force herself to do so.
Therefore, she took her children and moved back to her own estate, maintaining a distance from her husband's family. Since they did not see each other, there was naturally no need to observe empty formalities.
When Marquis Jining committed the common fault of most men and began secretly having affairs with the maidservants behind Princess Fucheng's back, Princess Fucheng also found herself a handsome male concubine. From then on, only a superficial marital relationship remained between the couple, and they basically lived their own separate lives. Princess Fucheng left her two sons with her husband's family, while she raised her daughter herself.
But husband and wife are husband and wife. Now that Princess Fucheng was suspected of sending people to destroy the canal, Emperor Yongchang placed everyone in both estates under house arrest at the same time.
Caught completely off guard, Princess Fucheng had no idea what was happening outside when Ye Shanglin personally arrived at her door with a squad of imperial guards in casual clothes. Holding an imperially bestowed token, he asked the Grand Princess for her cooperation.
Princess Fucheng struggled to maintain her composure. I wonder what my imperial brother's intention is with this action?
Ye Shanglin replied, This humble official is acting upon His Majesty's verbal decree. I know absolutely nothing else.
After speaking, he arranged for the imperial guards he brought to guard the various main and side gates of the Princess estate, taking shifts day and night. Two others stood guard outside the outer doors of the Princess's bedchamber. No matter who the Princess wished to see within the estate, a guard had to be present to listen in.
The imperial guard commander was strictly impartial, and Princess Fucheng returned to her bedchamber with a heavy heart.
She thought of the two death-sworn assassins she had sent to Liangzhou.
If the two had carried out their task smoothly and the Fengyan Canal was destroyed, the urgent memorial from Liangzhou would indeed arrive in the capital before the two assassins returned. But if only the canal was destroyed and no one was caught, her imperial brother could not possibly suspect her right away.
Therefore, at least one of the two assassins must have been caught. They had confessed and implicated the Du family, but her imperial brother felt that both Prince Qing's and the Fourth Prince's factions were suspicious, so he grounded both sides simultaneously, waiting for Liangzhou to escort the prisoners to the capital before handing them over to the Imperial Clan Court for a thorough interrogation?
The wives and children of the two assassins were in her hands, and Princess Fucheng did not believe they would dare to betray her.
With this thought, Princess Fucheng's emotions stabilized once more. She only hoped that her daughter would not give the game away.
.
Today, Zheng Yuanzhen was in a very good mood.
Emperor Yongchang had actually brought Empress Zhou to visit her and her son. Although the Emperor and Empress would also go to Prince Hui's estate, this at least showed that there were currently no problems in Liangzhou. Adding joy upon joy, Prince Qing sent a letter from Mount Ling in the afternoon. After venting a series of complaints about Prince Kang, Prince Qing estimated that he could return to the capital by the evening of the twenty-fifth.
Zheng Yuanzhen did not really miss Prince Qing all that much, but the more bitterly Prince Qing complained in his letter, the more it proved that he had done his duty diligently this time. Even if he was forced to, he had still managed to be as diligent as Prince Kang. Furthermore, of the five thousand mu of wasteland marked out by Xu Dongyang, four thousand mu had been inspected and proven suitable for land reclamation. For such a monumental achievement that would benefit future generations, even if Prince Qing only received the credit for the inspection, it would still be enough for the Emperor to look highly upon him for once.
While Prince Qing was out climbing mountains and running around with Prince Kang, Zheng Yuanzhen leisurely stayed at home accompanying Sanlang.
Over the past year, Prince Qing's estate had seen very few guests. On Prince Qing's side, ever since he was reprimanded by Emperor Yongchang last June, officials no longer dared to curry favor with him, and Prince Qing did not dare to summon any officials on his own initiative, lest he further displease his imperial father. As for Zheng Yuanzhen, because of the incident where she broke off her engagement to Prince Hui, she had long severed ties with most of the noble ladies in the capital. After Prince Qing lost face, even the female relatives who had still been willing to flatter her reduced their interactions.
Her only two regular visitors were her mother, Princess Fucheng, and her second aunt from her father's side. The Grand Princess was not close to the Marquis Jining estate, and the Marquis Jining estate did not dare to openly neglect the Grand Princess and her daughter, so they had to send the Second Madam of the Marquis estate to maintain a superficial harmony with Zheng Yuanzhen.
The Second Madam would visit about three times a month. After Sanlang was born, her mother would visit once every three to five days.
By the dusk of the twenty-fourth of April, Princess Fucheng had not visited for seven consecutive days.
With a guilty conscience, Zheng Yuanzhen suddenly became uneasy. Could something have gone wrong in Liangzhou, causing her mother to be held up?
On the morning of the twenty-fifth, Zheng Yuanzhen sent one of her personal maidservants to check on the Princess estate.
About two quarters of an hour after the maidservant left, Consort Rou from the palace sent someone to bring the mother and son into the palace for a chat.
Consort Rou was Sanlang's biological grandmother, and it was only natural for her to dote on her grandson and extend such an invitation. Zheng Yuanzhen did not overthink it; she simply packed up and set off with Sanlang and his wet nurse.
Consort Rou lived in Yanfu Palace. When Zheng Yuanzhen followed the guiding palace servants over, she was surprised to find that Emperor Yongchang was also there, smiling and accompanying Consort Rou in admiring two pots of peonies.
Zheng Yuanzhen found it strange. The morning should be Emperor Yongchang's busiest time; how did he have the free time to come over?
After paying her respects, Consort Rou smiled and explained, The Emperor missed Sanlang, so he specifically asked you to bring him over for a look.
Zheng Yuanzhen subconsciously looked at Sanlang in the wet nurse's arms. Sanlang was born prematurely, weighing just over five jin at birth. Fortunately, he had been well taken care of over the past two months and now weighed nine jin. With his fair and clean little face, he was a very beautiful little imperial grandson.
Zheng Yuanzhen did not doubt Emperor Yongchang's affection for Sanlang.
The wet nurse handed Sanlang into Emperor Yongchang's arms.
Emperor Yongchang held Sanlang with his left arm and gently squeezed Sanlang's little fist with his right hand, praising to Consort Rou, He looks exactly the same as the Third Prince did when he was a child.
Consort Rou smiled. She was a beauty herself, so her children and grandchildren's appearances naturally would not be lacking.
Emperor Yongchang then looked affectionately at Zheng Yuanzhen and said word by word, The canal in Liangzhou has breached its banks.
Zheng Yuanzhen was first stunned, then her pupils contracted, and the color in her face vanished almost instantly.
Emperor Yongchang then looked at the circle of people around him. Everyone, including Consort Rou, had a bewildered expression because he had changed the subject too quickly.
Consort Rou even asked, The canal in Liangzhou? That newly built Fengyan Canal?
Emperor Yongchang replied, No, a small canal in another county. Fortunately, it was discovered in time and did not lead to a major disaster.
Consort Rou breathed a sigh of relief. If a major disaster had truly occurred in the local area, the Emperor's mood would definitely turn sour again, and the imperial concubines like them would have to tremble in fear.
But, out of nowhere, why did the Emperor suddenly mention this matter?
Consort Rou looked at her daughter-in-law, whose complexion was off.
At this moment, Emperor Yongchang ordered the palace servants by his side and Sanlang's wet nurse to withdraw.
Consort Rou panicked. She left her seat and asked, Your Majesty, what exactly has happened?
Emperor Yongchang looked at Zheng Yuanzhen, holding Sanlang's little hand, and said, If you tell the truth, Zhen will continue to acknowledge this grandson. Otherwise...
The Emperor's imperial pressure felt as heavy as Mount Tai. Zheng Yuanzhen could no longer hold herself up; she fell to her knees weeping and choked out, "Uncle, this was all Mother's idea. She has always wanted me to be the Empress. When Second Cousin lost his chance, she had me marry Third Cousin. Later, when Third Cousin failed in the bandit suppression, I was consumed with worry. Mother, afraid that the child in my womb might come to harm from the stress, told me she would send someone to destroy the canal. She said that once the canal was ruined, the Emperor would take his anger out on Eldest Cousin who inspected it, and would then look favorably upon Third Cousin, giving me a chance again."
"Uncle, I would never dare to dream of being the Empress, and I was even more terrified that destroying the canal would cause a disaster. I begged Mother not to do it, but she said she would pick a less important section of the canal to act on, at most flooding a piece of farmland without ever harming the common people. After that, no matter how much I tried to persuade her, she wouldn't listen..."
Zheng Yuanzhen's tears flowed more and more fiercely, completely blurring her vision of Emperor Yongchang and Sanlang standing before her.
She cried firstly because the plot was exposed, secondly because she had to sever ties with her mother to protect herself, thirdly because she did not know what punishment her mother would face, and fourthly out of fear of whether she could save herself and her child.
Her tears were genuine, and her words sounded incredibly natural and true. Moreover, apart from the fact that she had not desperately tried to stop her mother, everything else she said was indeed the truth.
Emperor Yongchang scrutinized his niece before him with an expressionless face.
Crying, Zheng Yuanzhen crawled up to Emperor Yongchang, tugged at the hem of his robe, and pleaded, "Uncle, Mother was possessed by demons to do such a thing. If the Fengyan Canal truly breached, you can punish her however you wish. But if the Fengyan Canal is still fine and no flood has occurred, Uncle, could you at least spare Mother's life? She is your own biological sister!"
She did not want her mother to die. She really didn't.
Consort Rou had long since frozen to the side. Although the crimes committed by Princess Fucheng had nothing to do with her, the princess had done all this to push her third son onto the throne...
Noticing Emperor Yongchang looking her way, Consort Rou's legs gave out. She immediately began to cry as well, tearfully begging Emperor Yongchang to see the truth.
Emperor Yongchang ignored her and continued asking Zheng Yuanzhen, "Does Prince Qing know about this?"
Zheng Yuanzhen shook her head repeatedly. This time, she didn't need to hide anything, because Prince Qing was indeed kept completely in the dark by her and her mother.
Emperor Yongchang fell silent for a moment. Handing the child over to Consort Rou, he stood up and said, "When Prince Qing returns this evening, I will interrogate him personally. After that, I will decide how to deal with all of you."
Following Emperor Yongchang's departure, several palace servants closed the gates of Yanfu Palace from the outside, forbidding anyone inside from leaving.
.
As dusk approached, the galloping figures of Prince Kang, Prince Qing, and their accompanying guards and attendants appeared outside the imperial city. The group only slowed down as they neared the city gates.
The city guards recognized the two princes and promptly let them through.
Given the hour, it was certainly not convenient to enter the palace to report back. Just as Prince Kang was about to bid farewell to his third brother, Prince Qing rode ahead, leaving behind a perfunctory, "Take your time, Big Brother. I'm leaving first."
Prince Kang, who was a full six years older than Prince Qing, was highly displeased. His third brother usually looked decent enough, but he hadn't expected his attitude while running errands outside to be so poor. Now, he wasn't even observing the most basic etiquette between brothers!
While he complained about Prince Qing in his heart, Prince Qing was also viciously cursing Prince Kang internally. Then, Prince Qing headed straight in the direction of his own estate. Unexpectedly, just as he turned a corner at an unavoidable intersection, he saw a tall, straight, and stern figure standing ahead. It was none other than one of the Emperor's favored officials: Ye Shanglin, Commander of the Imperial Guards.
Prince Qing could afford to be disrespectful to Prince Kang, but he dared not act presumptuously before an important minister. He politely reined in his horse and asked what the matter was.
Ye Shanglin replied, "His Majesty requests Your Highness to enter the palace immediately for questioning."
Prince Qing sensed that something was wrong, but no matter how much he pondered, he couldn't figure out what he had messed up this time. He had accompanied Prince Kang every single day to climb and inspect those five thousand eight hundred acres of mountain forest without missing a beat.
Thus, Prince Qing entered the palace in a state of confusion and paranoia.
It had been exactly twenty-eight days since he left the capital and returned. During these twenty-eight days, apart from two rainy days when he only followed Prince Kang to secretly visit villagers, the other twenty-six days were spent either on the mountains or galloping on horseback. Exposed to the wind and sun, the flabby weight Prince Qing had gained from a decadent lifestyle in the first half of the year had become firm again. He had also tanned considerably. Other than his restless gaze, he looked very much like someone who had been working diligently.
But Emperor Yongchang knew that his third son had only run around because he was forced to by his eldest son. When the eldest seriously inspected the dug-up Solomon's seal roots, the third merely put on a show beside him. When the eldest held an umbrella in town, asking the commoners for their views on reclaiming wasteland to plant Solomon's seal, the third hid in a tea stall drinking tea, even complaining that the tea leaves were of poor quality...
This was simply a useless piece of trash who harbored grand ambitions but could accomplish nothing. He only thought about gaining merit, completely ignorant of the fact that merit wouldn't just fall into his lap.
After Prince Qing entered, Eunuch Wang and Ye Shanglin stood guard on the left and right behind Emperor Yongchang.
Prince Qing secretly glanced at the hems of their robes. What was the meaning of this?
Emperor Yongchang suddenly slammed his hand on the table and shouted angrily, "Kneel!"
Prince Qing dropped to his knees with a thud, looking up with panic and innocence. "Imperial Father, did your son make a mistake somewhere?"
Emperor Yongchang sneered. "A mistake? You sent people to dig up the canal I just had built, and you still ask me what mistake you made?"
Prince Qing was shocked. "The Fengyan Canal? I am wronged! I have been at Mount Ling this entire month. I absolutely did not send anyone to dig up the canal. I beg Imperial Father to see the truth!"
Emperor Yongchang walked up to Prince Qing and looked down at his son.
Prince Qing's eyes were wide open. He hadn't done it, so he hadn't done it!
Emperor Yongchang's angry expression remained unchanged. "You didn't send anyone, but someone did it on your behalf."
The corners of Prince Qing's wide eyes suddenly twitched. By some strange coincidence, he thought of his maternal grandfather. Could it be that his grandfather was just like him—verbally scolding Wei shi for being vicious, but upon later reflection, finding the plan feasible, and so his grandfather...
Before he could finish his thought, Emperor Yongchang delivered a flying kick. "You bastard! You really did know about it!"
His niece knowing and not reporting it, he could understand as her being timid and afraid of trouble. But his third son was a prince, his own biological son. How could this unfilial son destroy his father's achievements? How could an ambitious prince vying for the position of Crown Prince personally plunge the common people of an entire region into deep water and scorching fire?
Prince Qing was kicked onto his back, the back of his head hitting the floor with an incredibly clear, muffled thud.
It hurt terribly, but Prince Qing still felt wronged. He scrambled back up to a kneeling position, crying and kowtowing. "Imperial Father, please quell your anger. I truly did not do this. It was Grand... It was Shen Shiyan who was old and muddle-headed..."
Trembling, he confessed everything about how the ruthless Wei shi had given him the idea, and how he, in a moment of utter foolishness, had been tempted to run off and discuss it with Shen Shiyan.
"The old man scolded me so harshly at the time that I was covered in shame. How could I have known that he was only brushing me off, and then went to commit such a conscience-lacking act himself!"
Emperor Yongchang: "..."
If Zheng Yuanzhen hadn't already confessed, and if he wasn't well aware of Shen Shiyan's caution and righteousness, he would have almost been misled by his third son's words!
Zheng Yuanzhen exposing her own mother was, at the very least, because Princess Fucheng had actually committed an evil deed. Meanwhile, Shen Shiyan had righteously tried to dissuade his grandson from going down the wrong path, yet was nearly ruined by this third son to the point of being unable to enjoy a peaceful old age...
"So you really did entertain the thought of destroying the canal!"
Burning with fury, Emperor Yongchang delivered another kick to Prince Qing. He despised the prince for his craving for glory, his arrogant obstinacy, and his negligent shirking of duties. Above all, he hated him for being disloyal to his sovereign and father, unbrotherly to his sibling, unfilial to his grandfather, and utterly pitiless toward the common people!
Kicked to the ground once more, Prince Qing felt a sharp pain in both his chest and the back of his head. Overwhelmed by agony and terror, he groveled on the floor, weeping and begging his imperial father for forgiveness.
Emperor Yongchang took two deep breaths, turned around, and instructed Ye Shanglin, "Escort Prince Qing and his household back to their manor. Without my decree, they are forbidden from stepping outside."
Still shedding tears, Prince Qing was struck dumb. His entire family?
