Dead.
Then their earlier discussions no longer held any meaning.
There was no need to consider convictions anymore, nor to worry about too many people being implicated. It felt as though a heavy burden had suddenly been lifted.
Indeed, death was the simplest and best outcome.
With their death, everyone was better off.
“Since the rebels have already met their end, now investigate their accomplices from tonight’s incident. Punish the guilty and reward the meritorious,” the Empress said, glancing at the court officials. “As for rewards and punishments, the laws shall dictate. I ask all of you to discuss matters according to your duties.”
The court officials responded in unison.
The light of dawn gradually brightened, and the night that had shrouded the imperial city receded. The artillery fire, corpses, blood, grief, and terror from the previous night were laid bare one by one beneath the sky.
In truth, the capital had already been startled awake – first by the garrison soldiers galloping through the streets at midnight, the confrontations and clashes between the city defenses, and then by the two cannon blasts before the imperial palace, which shook half the capital.
Despite hiding in the cellar, Li Mao’s wife still let out a sharp scream, clutching her children tightly to her chest.
At the same moment, other households were shouting, “Earthquake! Earthquake!” Half the city’s lights flickered on, but those who rushed into the streets were quickly driven back.
The streets were filled with garrison soldiers.
“It’s not an earthquake. Return to your homes and do not go out.”
The stunned people dared not say another word as they stared at the gleaming armor and weapons. But as residents of the capital, they possessed a sharper sense of awareness than people elsewhere, and most could guess what was happening.
Outside, the sound of hoofbeats grew louder and louder. Accompanied by doors being forced open, the servants in the courtyard were not as panicked as one might have expected. They were all neatly dressed, and though their bodies trembled, they showed no signs of disorder, which briefly stunned the garrison soldiers who had charged in.
“Indeed worthy of the Chancellor’s family – possessing more composure than others,” one of the garrison soldiers couldn’t help but remark.
Yet, having held the esteemed position of Chancellor, to choose instead to become a traitor plotting against the sovereign – truly, one who invites disaster cannot escape it.
The commanding officer unfurled the imperial edict in his hand with a swift motion.
“…Chen Shao, having conspired in rebellion, has been executed. By the Emperor’s decree, his household shall be confiscated…”
In the rear courtyard, the once vibrant red hangings and festive decorations had long been removed. The doors of the main hall stood wide open, and inside, Madam Chen sat upright, dressed in formal attire.
A maid rushed in frantically.
“Madam, Madam…” She stumbled as she walked, her voice choked with sobs, and knelt heavily on the floor beneath the corridor.
Seeing this, Madam Chen understood. She rose to her feet and strode resolutely toward the white silk already suspended from the beam.
“Madam…” The maids wept and threw themselves forward, clinging to her legs.
“What are you doing?” Madam Chen snapped, her brows furrowing sharply. “Must you strip away even the last shred of dignity? These soldiers know full well – in households like ours that have fallen, the women are expected to hang themselves. If they are ordered not to permit it, they will storm in at any moment. Do you truly wish to see me confiscated and enslaved in the official brothel or camp brothels?”
For families that have committed crimes, the chance for women to end their lives with dignity is already an immense act of mercy.
In this life, toiling through one’s existence, one strives for wealth and status in life, as well as dignity and honor in death.
To die with dignity is, in itself, a form of fortune.
“Mother!”
Chen Dan-niang’s cry rang from outside the door, followed by hurried footsteps. She rushed in, threw her arms around Madam Chen, who stood upon the stool, and burst into loud sobs.
“Mother, are you abandoning me? Mother, are you leaving me?”
Madam Chen’s tears fell instantly like rain, while the maids wailed even harder, prostrating themselves on the floor.
“You… you must help the young mistress on her final journey,” Madam Chen wept.
The maids sobbed uncontrollably.
“We cannot, we cannot do it.”
Madam Chen then reached for her own sash.
“Dan-niang, do not be afraid. I will accompany you,” she said, winding the sash around Chen Dan-niang’s neck.
Chen Dan-niang wept loudly. Though young, she faintly understood what was happening.
“Mother, I am not afraid,” she cried.
Her words only made Madam Chen’s hands tremble so violently that she could no longer hold the sash.
“Oh, heavens,” she wailed, covering her face. “What sins did I commit in my past life?”
Amidst the weeping, hurried footsteps grew louder outside.
“Everyone step out! No one moves, and no concealment!” came a stern command.
Madam Chen’s face turned deathly pale. There was no time left. Gritting her teeth, she pulled the sash tight with all her strength.
Chen Dan-niang let out a choked cry, her face flushing red as her hands flew up to clutch at the sash around her neck.
Soldiers charged into the room and, seeing the scene, rushed forward, wrenching the sash from Madam Chen’s grasp.
Chen Dan-niang collapsed onto the floor, coughing violently.
“Please,” Madam Chen pleaded, kneeling down in tears. “Let her leave this world with her purity intact.”
With that, she kowtowed repeatedly, her forehead striking the floor.
“Let her depart with dignity intact.”
Do not consign her to the official brothels. Do not allow her to fall from wealth and luxury into the depths of mud and mire. Let everything end at the most beautiful moment of youth.
The soldiers had seen such scenes many times before. Their expressions held no grief or pity, only an indifferent detachment as they drove the people forward.
“Move, move,” they commanded.
The maids staggered as they were herded out, and Madam Chen had no choice but to help Chen Dan-niang to her feet.
If one is determined to die, there are countless ways to do it.
Madam Chen thought silently, ceasing her cries and resistance. Everything was for the sake of dignity – to preserve that last shred of it.
“I want my bow!”
As they reached the front courtyard, Chen Dan-nang suddenly broke free from her mother’s grip and ran back inside.
The soldiers immediately closed in, their spears and swords pointed directly at Chen Dan-niang.
“Dan-niang!” Madam Chen cried out, rushing forward to pull her back, her entire body trembling.
Running around recklessly now could get her killed on the spot.
The thought brought a bitter smile to her face.
After all, death is death – dying like this would change nothing.
Yet, deep down, she truly did not wish to die.
“Dan-niang,” she wept, holding the child close. “Don’t run off. This is no longer our home. Nothing here belongs to us anymore.”
“Mother, I want my bow,” Chen Dan-niang sobbed. “You said it yourself – Lady Cheng gave me this bow and told me to take good care of it.” She reached backward, her voice desperate. “I must hold my bow.”
The soldier standing in the courtyard suddenly stepped forward.
“What do you want?” he asked.
Madam Chen watched him with some wariness.
“We want nothing,” she replied, pulling Chen Dan-niang closer to her.
“My bow,” Chen Dan-niang struggled free and cried out. “The bow Lady Cheng gave me.”
The soldier let out a soft “ah.”
“Then go and fetch it,” he said.
Madam Chen froze for a moment, but Chen Dan-niang, overjoyed, immediately turned and ran off.
“Young lady,” the officer called out again. “Hold onto it tightly. Don’t lose it. When others come asking for it, it would be unseemly if you couldn’t find it.”
Chen Dan-niang turned back.
“Of course not. I would never lose it,” she declared.
Only then did Madam Chen finally understand. Covering her face with her hands, she fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside the Chen residence.
“Halt! Do not approach!” the soldiers shouted, leveling their weapons at the woman who had come near.
Chen Shi’ba-niang stopped in her tracks.
“What happened to His Highness the Crown Prince?” she asked, her face pale as she stared at the soldiers.
No one answered her.
“What happened to His Highness the Crown Prince?” Chen Shi’ba-niang cried out sharply, attempting to rush forward again. “What has happened to my father?”
The soldiers did not hesitate to thrust their spears toward her.
The maids and attendants around Chen Shi’ba-niang screamed in terror, clutching her desperately, as the spear points hovered only inches away.
“What happened to His Highness the Crown Prince?” Chen Shi’ba-niang seemed unaware of the danger, continuing to shout.
“His Highness the Crown Prince was murdered by the traitors Chen and Gao,” one of the soldiers replied coldly.
The Crown Prince was murdered?
The Crown Prince is dead?
Chen Shi’ba-niang’s face turned deathly pale, her expression a mix of horror and disbelief.
Impossible. Impossible.
She slowly shook her head.
How could it be? How could it be?
First, Prince Ping died, and now even the Crown Prince…
“Because what I have, I will still have, and what others do not have, they will still lack…”
What others do not have, they will still lack…
Chen Shi’ba-niang suddenly lifted her head and pointed a trembling finger.
“It was them – they murdered the Crown Prince!” she shrieked. “It was her! She murdered the Crown Prince! She did it! It was her!”
Before she could finish, a sturdy maid rushed over and clamped a hand firmly over her mouth.
“Quick, take the young mistress back!” the maid shouted.
Without another word, the attending maids seized Chen Shi’ba-niang and began dragging her away.
As her besieged home grew farther and farther away, Chen Shi’ba-niang struggled with all her might, tears streaming from her eyes.
Father… Mother… her home…
It was her! She did it!
She was the one who harmed the Crown Prince! She was the one who destroyed her father! She was the one who rebelled! It was her! Her!
…
“…The traitors Chen Shao and Gao Lingjun are dead. Their official ranks and titles shall be stripped, their properties confiscated, and all members of their households – men and women alike – shall be exiled to remote, harsh lands to serve as laborers in military camps or as camp courtesans.”
A eunuch read aloud in a shrill voice the statement prepared by the court officials.
The Empress remained silent for a moment.
“What of the clansmen of the Gao and Chen families?” she asked.
The court officials present exchanged glances.
The Chen clan was straightforward to deal with, but the Gao clan – they were also the clansmen of the Empress Dowager.
After all, the Empress Dowager had not been publicly accused, so implicating the Gao clan might prove delicate.
“To commit such a grave act of treason, yet still avoid implicating their clansmen – the imperial family truly shows great magnanimity.”
The voice of Duke Jin’an suddenly rang out from the side.
During the court officials’ discussions, he had indeed remained seated quietly, much like Duke Yanping, without uttering a word. However, the moment he spoke, the court officials’ hearts couldn’t help but skip a beat.
He said the court was showing great magnanimity, yet his gaze swept over the seated officials.
It was they who had proposed such a judgment, not the court itself. Was Duke Jin’an implying that these court officials were presuming to express the imperial family’s magnanimity on their behalf?
The imperial family had suffered such a grave peril, yet they could speak of magnanimity so lightly.
“Doesn’t that sound somewhat frivolous?” Duke Jin’an continued, looking at everyone, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips.
However, that smile appeared particularly chilling, causing the court officials to avert their eyes involuntarily.
“Yes, you are right. How can such a heinous act of rebellion and regicide – the murder of the Crown Prince – be treated so lightly? Would that not arouse suspicion among the common people? We must pursue the three clans,” one court official immediately spoke up. “All should be handed over to the relevant authorities for interrogation and verification.”
Duke Jin’an nodded.
“After sentencing, Her Majesty the Empress may then grant pardons,” he said. “In this way, punishment is demonstrated, yet due respect for the Empress Dowager is preserved. What do you all think of this?”
What do we think?
You’ve already said everything, haven’t you?
If I were to disagree, what exactly do you plan to do?
Think about the garrison soldiers outside. Think about Gao Lingjun, who took his own life in the blink of an eye.
At this point, Duke Jin’an is certainly not going to let this go.
“It should be so,” one court official nodded in agreement.
Soon, more officials nodded and voiced their support.
Duke Jin’an nodded as well, his expression turning solemn once again.
“Since this is what everyone says, I have no objections either,” he said, turning to the Empress. “The day has already broken, and the court officials are waiting for the morning audience. I ask Your Majesty to swiftly issue the decree, making this matter known to all, as a warning and to settle the hearts of the people.”
The Empress nodded and rose to her feet, raising her hand.
“All ministers may proceed first,” she said. “I will change attire and attend court.”
The court officials bowed and responded in unison.
Just then, a eunuch hurried in and, disregarding the Empress, went straight to Duke Jin’an, whispering a few words in his ear. Duke Jin’an’s expression instantly changed.
“I beg leave to withdraw, Your Majesty,” he said, rising to his feet.
The hall fell silent, and the court officials’ faces grew complicated, their gazes subtly shifting toward the Empress.
Yet the Empress’s expression remained unchanged, as if she did not feel at all like a mere figurehead in the palace.
“Since the traitors Gao and Chen dared to rebel within the palace, there must be lingering accomplices. Now that dawn has broken, Duke Jin’an must hasten to conduct a thorough investigation,” she declared solemnly.
Duke Jin’an bowed in acknowledgment and swiftly turned to leave.
Watching Duke Jin’an stride away, surrounded by a crowd of eunuchs and imperial guards, the officials gathered at the palace gate, preparing for the morning court, wore complex expressions.
“He truly carries the bearing of Great Emperor. Yet, whether this will be good or ill for the court remains to be seen,” one official couldn’t help but murmur under his breath.
Whatever thoughts and speculations filled the minds of the court officials, Duke Jin’an paid them no heed. He walked swiftly, the morning sunlight gradually spilling over layers of palace roofs to fall upon him. But he felt no warmth – instead, a chill seeped deeper and deeper into his bones.
“Your Highness, it’s here,” a guard said, pointing to a palace building ahead.
Duke Jin’an’s steps, however, came to a halt.
Had he not been saved?
Why did the eunuch say something seemed amiss?
If Zhou Fu had not been saved… what would she do? What could she possibly do?
Many guards stood before the palace gate, surrounding it, while someone hurried out from inside.
“Your Highness…”
Doctor Li called out, his voice trembling.
Seeing Doctor Li’s expression, Duke Jin’an couldn’t help but take another deep breath before stepping toward the palace door.
“Your Highness, Your Highness, listen to me first. Please don’t panic when you see…” Doctor Li extended a hand to block him, speaking urgently.
Panic?
How could he not panic?
He had lost Liu Ge’er, and the grief was deep. But Liu Ge’er had always been ill, and part of him had been prepared. Yet what about her? Her brother had been fine, always fine – until suddenly, overnight, disaster struck…
How could she always suffer such misery?
Why must the two of them forever compete in sorrow?
It shouldn’t be, it mustn’t be.
“Cheng Fang!” Duke Jin’an pushed the palace door open and rushed inside, shouting. But his voice cut off abruptly as he froze, completely stunned.
Blood met his eyes – on the floor, on the walls, overwhelming his vision.
A girl lay on the blood-soaked ground, her clothes slashed to shreds, flesh torn open as though she had been dragged across blades.
Duke Jin’an’s mind went blank with a roar. His legs gave way, and he fell to his knees.
Cheng Fang…
Cheng Fang!
A hoarse cry erupted from within the hall, so piercing it seemed to tear through the eardrums of everyone present.
It hardly sounded like a sound a human could make.
Doctor Li covered his face with his hands and slowly slid down against the doorframe.
Your Highness, please don’t panic… Your Highness… my condolences.
