As the thunder rumbled away and the wind ceased and the rain stopped, the Empress Dowager in the palace also received the report.
“I knew it all along – Prince Ping was not struck by divine punishment,” the Empress Dowager said upon hearing the news.
“Indeed, Your Majesty,” the eunuch replied. “Four or five people were standing around the straw figure at the time. When they knelt and prostrated themselves, the thunder only struck the straw figure, showing that it targeted whoever was tallest. His Highness’s death was an accident.”
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager wiped her tears.
“This is truly wonderful, an accident, just an accident…” she wept.
But then she paused, lost in thought.
Wonderful?
What was so wonderful about it!
Her grandson was still dead! No matter how he died, he was gone!
The Empress Dowager wept bitterly.
“What a sudden and unexpected tragedy this is.”
As the Empress Dowager wept until she was breathless, the eunuchs and palace maids around her hurried forward to console her.
“Your Majesty, please take care of your health. The weight of countless responsibilities now rests upon you alone,” the eunuchs said through their tears.
With the Emperor critically ill and the country facing grave dangers, even mourning Prince Ping with unrestrained grief had become impossible.
The thought only made the Empress Dowager weep even more bitterly.
“My poor child.”
A eunuch stepped forward and respectfully interrupted the Empress Dowager.
“Your Majesty, shall I convey this news to Her Majesty the Empress?” he asked, bowing his head as he awaited her instructions.
The Empress…
The Empress Dowager stopped weeping.
“Where is the Empress?” she asked.
“She has been steadfastly attending to His Majesty without leaving even for a moment,” the eunuch replied, bowing his head.
The Empress Dowager leaned against the armrest and fell silent for a moment. Recalling the words Gao Lingjun had spoken, her hands involuntarily clenched.
“In this palace, there are few who truly grieve for Prince Ping. Those who care will naturally know; for those who do not, there is no need to tell them,” she said.
In the palace now, following Prince Ping’s tragic death and the Emperor’s illness, beneath the sorrow and heaviness, there also lurked a hidden undercurrent of turbulence.
The eunuch bowed his head in acknowledgment and stepped back, remaining still.
“What about the Imperial Consort?” the Empress Dowager asked again.
“Her Ladyship remains the same. After taking the medicine, she fell asleep and is no longer agitated,” the eunuch replied.
Ever since learning of Prince Ping’s death, the Imperial Consort had fallen into madness – weeping and shouting in her palace, even uttering some terrifying words. The Empress Dowager, left with no choice, had to order medicine to be administered to calm her down.
Thinking of the spirited, witty, and amusing Imperial Consort who had once been a frequent presence by her side, and seeing her now as she was, all in the blink of an eye…
The pain was truly unbearable.
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes once more, on the verge of tears.
“Your Majesty, the Lady of State Qi has arrived,” a eunuch announced from outside the door.
The wife of Gao Lingjun held the title of Lady of State Qi.
Since Gao Lingjun’s current status did not allow him to take regular shifts in the palace, he had sent his wife instead. As a titled noblewoman and a relative, it was perfectly reasonable for her to visit the Empress Dowager at such a time. Even though court officials clearly understood this was effectively Gao Lingjun’s presence, they could not overly object.
Who knew what she was here to say this time?
Even mourning couldn’t be carried out peacefully and uninterrupted!
The Empress Dowager struggled to sit up, slamming her hand down on the couch in frustration.
But what could she do? Her son had fallen, and she could not bear to see his empire slip away. Absolutely not.
“Admit her,” she said.
…
The door to the Emperor’s bedchamber swung open as someone hurried inside.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty,” a eunuch called out.
The Empress, seated by the Emperor’s bedside, turned her head, frowned sternly at him, and stood up to walk outside the curtained area.
The eunuch quickly followed, lowering his voice as he spoke.
“Your Majesty, word has come from Golden Water Park. Lady Cheng indeed summoned thunder just now,” he said, a hint of relief in his voice.
Hearing this, the Empress let out a sigh of relief.
“This is truly wonderful,” she replied.
Here, “wonderful” carried a meaning entirely different from its use in the Empress Dowager’s quarters.
“I always knew Lady Cheng would be safe,” she added.
“Of course, she is a disciple of the immortals,” the eunuch said.
“If she truly were a disciple of the immortals, there would have been no need for today’s affairs,” the Empress shook her head and remarked, turning her gaze back toward the curtained area.
Peering through the fine layers of the curtain, she could see the man lying quietly on the bed.
When he was here, it never seemed like he served much purpose. But now that he lay incapacitated, she realized he did have his uses.
At least with him present, she could await her own death in peace.
To think that even death had to be faced with fear and trepidation – what a life this was…
“Your Majesty,” another eunuch hurried in, his face etched with anxiety. “The Lady of State Qi has come again.”
The Empress turned to look at him.
“What did she say?” she asked.
The eunuch stepped closer and whispered a few words.
The Empress’s face remained expressionless, but then a sudden, coldly mocking smile appeared.
“Truly unexpected,” she said. “In the end, it will still be his.”
…
Amidst all the commotion outside and the mingled sorrow and joy within the palace, the Cheng residence remained as tranquil as ever.
“This is our master’s visiting card.”
“My madam sent me to inquire after Lady Cheng’s well-being.”
Two servants presented gifts and relayed their madams’ regards.
“Given the extraordinary circumstances, it isn’t convenient to visit in person, but the family is deeply concerned about the lady.”
The maid promptly curtsied in gratitude.
“Thank you for the concern of Master Chen and his lady. My lady is doing well,” she said.
The servants from the Chen family dared not linger and quickly took their leave. The maid also understood that interactions were ill-advised at such a time – for the Chen family to have even sent someone to inquire was already an extraordinary gesture.
This single expression of concern would likely invite numerous memorials impeaching Chen Shao by the next day.
As the Chen family’s carriage creaked away, someone dismounted in front of the gate.
“Young Master Qin?” the maid exclaimed in surprise.
Qin Hu stepped forward.
“May I see your lady?” he asked.
The maid looked at him with a faint, ambiguous smile.
“Aren’t you afraid, Young Master, at a time like this?” she inquired.
Qin Hu smiled.
“I am just a minor official, not a grand councilor or minister. What is there to fear?” he said, standing at the gate without stepping inside. “Please make the announcement.”
“What is there to announce? Shi’san, what are you pretending for this time?”
A voice came from inside the gate.
Qin Hu looked up and saw Zhou Fu stepping out.
“If you’re here, just come in. Do you expect someone to carry you in a grand sedan chair?” Zhou Fu said with a frown.
But this time, Qin Hu didn’t respond to his teasing. Instead, his expression turned serious.
“I don’t know if I can still be granted an audience with her,” he said, looking inside the gate.
“Young Master Qin.”
In the dim twilight, a flicker of surprise, or perhaps delight, passed through the girl’s eyes – or maybe he had imagined it.
“Is it… you…?”
But when he spoke those words, he was certain he had not mistaken the look that instantly fell over her face.
He had always wanted to see a different expression from this woman in his presence, yet now that he finally did, he could not have foreseen its nature.
That expression replayed itself in his mind, over and over – each time like a knife piercing his heart.
No, perhaps it was more that his words had pierced her heart.
She had never expected him to say such a thing. That instant, her expression…
Qin Hu could not help but clench his hand tightly.
“What exactly happened?” Zhou Fu asked, grabbing Qin Hu’s arm. “I heard from Ban Qin that you waited for her outside the palace that day. You… you two…”
“I doubted her,” Qin Hu said, looking at Zhou Fu.
Zhou Fu was momentarily stunned, then let out a sigh of relief.
“Is that all?” he said. “You’re hardly the only one who doubted her.”
He pursed his lips and instinctively glanced in the direction of the palace, where plenty of people likely held the same suspicion. In fact, finding someone who didn’t doubt her would be the real rarity.
Besides, even his own father, and even someone like Fan Jianglin, probably harbored similar thoughts deep down.
“Others may doubt her, but I should not,” Qin Hu said.
Zhou Fu looked at him and smiled, then swung a fist to shove him away.
“So you came here to force her to forgive you, just to ease your own conscience?” he said, the smile slowly fading from his face. “Qin Thirteen, who among us is any better than the other? What are you proud of? What do you mean by ‘should’? What exactly should you have done?”
Right – was he here to apologize? And for what? What was done was done. Why push her to let it go?
Qin Hu raised his head and gave himself a sharp, angry thump, then nodded.
“You’re right,” he said. “I really have gone too far.”
He clasped his hands toward Zhou Fu, turned, leaped down the steps, mounted his horse, and rode away.
The maid stood there, stunned, then looked at Zhou Fu.
“Sixth Young Master, should… should I go and inform her?” she asked, gesturing inside. “Miss should be awake from her rest by now.”
“No need. Why bother with these idle people?” Zhou Fu said, turning back toward the inner courtyard.
He hadn’t taken two steps when the sound of rapid hoofbeats echoed behind him. As Zhou Fu turned his head, he saw Qin Hu dismounting, followed by a young servant who had clearly just galloped after him.
“Young Master, Young Master, what are you doing…? The master orders you to return immediately!” the servant called out as he ran.
Qin Hu paid no attention, striding swiftly ahead without even a glance back, heading straight inside.
“Hey, hey!” Zhou Fu called out. “No one said she would see you!”
Ignoring him completely, Qin Hu hurried further into the residence without pause.
Cheng Jiao-niang was standing under the corridor, watching Lady Huang and a maid as they chased and played with Xiao Bao in the courtyard, laughing and running about. When she saw Qin Hu enter, Lady Huang immediately made to withdraw with the others.
“There’s no need. Please continue playing. We’ll go inside to talk,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, then gestured politely for Qin Hu to enter.
Qin Hu shook his head.
“That’s all right. I only came to say one thing, and I must leave right away,” he replied.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at him and nodded, listening with a gentle smile.
He had wondered how it would be to see her again, but in truth, it wasn’t so different after all. If you let go, she lets go. If you don’t dwell on it, neither does she. To engage with a person of integrity is just that simple.
Qin Hu nodded and smiled faintly, then grew serious again.
“The Empress Dowager has summoned Prince Qing back to the palace,” he said.
Zhou Fu, who had followed him over, stopped in his tracks upon hearing this, a look of surprise on his face.
Prince Qing!
Cheng Jiao-niang softly exclaimed “Oh” and turned her gaze toward the courtyard.
Qin Hu also looked into the courtyard, where Lady Huang was watching Xiao Bao toddle after a maid, holding a pinwheel in his hand and giggling with delight.
A fragile, innocent child, unaware of the changing seasons or the weight of sorrow and joy, living purely in a time of untainted joy.
The Prince Qing residence was bustling with noise and activity.
Trunks and boxes were being carried out one after another, and it was clear that a single carriage would not be enough to hold them all.
“Your Highness, there’s no need to take these along,” a eunuch wearing high-ranking attire said with a smile to Duke Jin’an.
Duke Jin’an shook his head.
“These are all things he’s used to. He’ll get upset if they’re changed,” he replied, then turned and saw several eunuchs leading Prince Qing over, coaxing and guiding him along.
Prince Qing, interrupted in his play, was visibly displeased, constantly shaking off their hands and shouting.
“Xiao Liu, let’s go to the palace to see Her Majesty. You can continue playing there, and I’ll play with you,” Duke Jin’an said, stepping forward to take Prince Qing’s hand with a gentle smile.
Prince Qing, unable to understand, only grumbled and waved his arms in protest.
The eunuchs nearby also approached with smiles, joining Duke Jin’an in persuading Prince Qing to board the carriage.
Just as Duke Jin’an was about to step onto the carriage himself, the eunuch suddenly extended a hand, politely yet firmly stopping him.
“Your Highness,” the eunuch said, his smile restrained but meaningful. “There’s no need for you to escort him personally. We are fully capable of handling this.”
Duke Jin’an paused, his gaze fixed on the eunuch.
The eunuch’s expression then shifted to one of gravity.
“By the Empress Dowager’s decree, Prince Qing is to be brought into the palace,” he said, lowering his voice earnestly. “Given the extraordinary circumstances at present, and without explicit summons from Her Majesty, it would be inappropriate for members of the imperial clan to enter the palace.”
So that was how it was…
Duke Jin’an lowered his hands and straightened his posture.
