Song of the Bright Moon Chapter 98

Shen Yujiao couldn’t give an answer—she didn’t even know what answer she could give.

At this moment, her tears were her answer.

She wept silently in Pei Xia’s arms. When her emotions finally calmed a little, the two of them rode back in silence to the Pei residence at Yongning Alley.

After dinner, Pei Xia showed no sign of leaving.

Shen Yujiao said nothing. She merely accepted the boiled egg handed by a maid and slowly walked up to him, rolling it over the bruise at his mouth.

For a brief moment, a spark of light flickered in Pei Xia’s brooding eyes.

He lifted his face slightly, his gaze unwavering on his wife. “Yuniang…”

Shen Yujiao’s eyes remained lowered, avoiding his gaze. She spoke softly, “You know very well—no matter which of you gets hurt, it’s something I never wished for.”

The light in Pei Xia’s eyes dimmed again, his long lashes casting a shadow over their darkness. “He can give up.”

Shen Yujiao’s throat tightened.

If Xie Wuling could give up, he would have done so back in Jinling—how could things have come to this? And Pei Xia…

Ever since that day when he suddenly told her he’d fallen in love with her, every time she thought of it, it still felt unreal.

And today—when he’d threatened her with his own life—she was even more stunned. His feelings for her… could they truly run that deep?

She couldn’t make sense of it, and so she stopped trying.

After all, she couldn’t even make sense of her own heart now—how could she hope to understand Pei Xia’s?

No wonder, since ancient times, so many have been ensnared by love. The word love itself was impossible to untangle.

So she didn’t pursue the matter further, and instead asked about the trial earlier that day.

Pei Xia roughly recounted it to her, and at the end added, “This case is of great importance and wide implication. Tomorrow, when I report to His Majesty at court, we can finally bring the one behind it all to justice.”

Catching the key point in his words, Shen Yujiao stopped rolling the egg. “You’ve found the mastermind?”

Pei Xia was silent for two breaths, then said, “You’ll know tomorrow.”

Seeing him act mysterious, Shen Yujiao felt a little annoyed. But then she thought—he had always lived by the maxim “Secrecy brings success, loose talk brings ruin; be quick in action and cautious in speech.” He was nothing like Xie Wuling, who would rush home just to tell her about two bald men brawling in the streets.

Tomorrow then, so be it. Just a night’s sleep away.

She set down the egg in her hand. “That should be enough. Apply some ointment before bed—by morning it shouldn’t be too obvious.”

Pei Xia said, “All right.”

Then Shen Yujiao added, “Could you sleep in the study tonight?”

Pei Xia frowned and looked straight at her.

Shen Yujiao pressed her lips together and said softly, “My mind’s in a mess. I need some quiet for a few days.”

Pei Xia said nothing, still watching her. Under the wavering candlelight, the shadow between his deep eyes and brows grew unreadably dark.

Just when Shen Yujiao was about to give up hope, he suddenly spoke. “All right.”

Meeting her startled gaze, Pei Xia rose from the bedside. “I know you resent me—think me narrow-minded, unforgiving, a villain bent on tearing lovers apart. But whether you resent or blame me, I will not change my mind…”

“Yuniang, we have a long future ahead of us.”

He raised a hand and brushed aside the loose strands at her ear. In his cold, pitch-black eyes burned a steady, unshakable resolve. “I believe that sooner or later, you’ll turn your heart back, and realize that you and I are the ones truly meant to be.”

As for Xie Wuling—he was nothing but an accident, a passing guest in her life.

After Pei Xia left, Shen Yujiao sat on the edge of the bed, thoughts in turmoil.

Xie Wuling refused to give up, and Pei Xia refused to give up—must it really come to the point of swords drawn and blood spilled?

If that day truly came, what would she do?

That night, she tossed and turned restlessly, and did not fall asleep until dawn began to pale the sky.

When she woke again, it was already past noon.

After finishing lunch, she saw Xiaying return from buying sewing supplies, carrying a basket and rushing in breathlessly. “Something huge has happened—truly earthshaking!”

Qiao Momo was amusing the baby beside Shen Yujiao. Seeing Xiaying’s fuss scare Di Ge’er into a flinch, she scolded sternly, “What, has the sky fallen or the house caught fire? Such fuss! If you frighten the young master, see if I don’t punish you!”

Xiaying scratched her head sheepishly, but couldn’t hold it in. “It is a huge matter! My lady, Momo—you’ll never guess who the Ministry of Justice just arrested!”

A twitch of Shen Yujiao’s brow told her it must be connected to yesterday’s case.

Sure enough, Xiaying’s eyes went wide. “It’s the Eldest Princess! Princess Jinhua herself!”

Qiao Momo gasped, hand to her mouth. “You mustn’t say such things carelessly!”

“Even if you gave me eight hundred lives, I wouldn’t dare make this up! To slander a member of the imperial family—that’s a crime worth losing one’s head!”

Xiaying said firmly, “Everyone outside is talking about it—they say the Eldest Princess has committed a monstrous crime, and His Majesty ordered the Minister of Justice himself to escort her under guard!”

Qiao Momo was stunned. “What—what on earth did she do?”

Xiaying shook her head. “I don’t know. Everyone’s just guessing.”

Shen Yujiao sat quietly on the bedside, not saying a word, but her delicate brows knit together.

Just the crimes of abduction and attempted murder against her alone would never cause such an uproar.

Could it be that the one backing old Qiu Po truly was Princess Jinhua?

–

Inside the inner palace, at Xianling Palace.

Having heard her trusted eunuch’s report, Consort Xian’s slender hand clenched on the armrest of the huanghuali chair. The usual gentleness in her brows gave way to rare irritation. “Is she mad? I’ve never had old grudges or new enmity with her—what does she want with me now?”

“Yes, Your Highness has never been close with the Eldest Princess…” the eunuch said, puzzled. “Perhaps desperation makes her reckless? Maybe she’s heard of Your Highness’s good reputation and hopes you’ll plead for her before His Majesty?”

Consort Xian gave a cold laugh. “Selling offices, seizing land, buying and selling common-born families—the evidence is ironclad. A woman so treacherous and ungrateful, guilty beyond measure—and I should plead for her? What would that make me?”

The eunuch bowed deeply in agreement. “Then Your Highness will not respond to her summons?”

Consort Xian pressed her lips together, falling into thought.

Yesterday, when the emperor’s procession returned to the capital, hundreds of common-born families gathered outside the Jingzhao Prefecture to petition—too loud to ignore, and word had already reached the palace.

This morning, the Prefect of Jingzhao, together with the Second and Third Princes, jointly memorialized the throne, requesting a full investigation.

Such a scandal right under the Son of Heaven’s nose naturally enraged Emperor Zhaoning. He immediately ordered the Dali Temple, Ministry of Justice, and Jingzhao Prefecture to jointly oversee the case.

No sooner had the decree been issued than Pei Shouzhen stepped forth, holding his ivory tablet, saying that one of the maids from his own household was also a victim in this case. While searching for her, his guards had uncovered certain clues.

He said the matter was of great importance, and he had secretly investigated for five days. Now, with sufficient witnesses and evidence gathered, he requested imperial permission to present them before the throne.

Emperor Zhaoning suspected Pei Shouzhen was maneuvering him—but with the entire court watching, he could only go along.

And so the Linde Hall, which was supposed to be discussing state affairs, turned into a court of judgment.

The accused kneeling before the throne were none other than the old madam who ran the abduction ring—Qiu Po—and her four trusted lieutenants.

Under the Emperor’s awe-inspiring presence, the five of them broke down weeping and confessed to their crimes—revealing the powerful patron behind them:

“It was Her Highness, the Eldest Princess.”

“If not for Her Highness’s protection—her help smoothing things over up and down the chain—how could we have run this trade for so long, and so brazenly? We beg Your Majesty’s mercy—grant us complete corpses for confessing honestly!”

Now that everything had been exposed, Qiu Po and the others knew their lives could not be saved.

But Duke Ying had promised them: as long as they accused Princess Jinhua, he would see that their families remained safe and untouched.

And if he fell, there would be no good end for them anyway.

Though Qiu Po made her living through vile, conscience-less trades, she still had some understanding of the court’s factions. Duke Ying was aligned with the Third Prince, while that Scholar Pei who had first found her belonged to the faction of the Second Prince.

She did not know how those two camps had come to cooperate, but Pei Shouzhen had also promised her that as long as she followed instructions, her family would not be implicated.

At this point, she had no other choice but to obey these powerful figures—

If she was to die as a discarded pawn, she might as well make her death worth something.

Besides, Princess Jinhua was already known to be unruly and dissolute, infamous for her arrogance. In the past she had been caught in “minor offenses” such as seizing land, bullying men and women, and accepting bribes. Many ministers already bore grudges against her. As the saying went, when a tree falls the monkeys scatter, when a wall collapses everyone pushes—now that this domineering woman finally had a fatal weakness exposed, the court erupted in righteous fury.

Officials came forward one after another, pleading for the Emperor to mete out severe punishment.

Emperor Zhaoning sat on the dragon throne as if on needles, feeling humiliated.

After all, Princess Jinhua was of the royal family.

For her to commit such crimes was not only a disgrace to the dynasty, but also a slap across his own face.

Yet, when he heard the ministers below shouting, “We beseech Your Majesty’s wise judgment—punish the Eldest Princess severely!”—his gaze flickered toward Duke Ying, and against his own will a trace of relief crossed his heart:

At least it’s Jinhua—and not my uncle.

Had it been his maternal uncle, he would have been roasting over the fire himself.

Toward this sister, Emperor Zhaoning felt little affection. And given the severity of her crimes, as Son of Heaven, he had to give the people an explanation.

So, wearing a grave expression and an air of sorrowful resolve, Emperor Zhaoning raised his hand and commanded:

“Minister Peng, take men at once to the Eldest Princess’s residence, arrest her, and conduct a joint interrogation with the Dali Temple and Jingzhao Prefecture. You are to assist in handling this case personally!”

The Minister of Justice received the order and immediately departed with his men for the Eldest Princess’s mansion.

Such a major event naturally did not escape the notice of Consort Xian in the inner palace.

She sent people to inquire, and to her surprise, her trusted eunuch reported that before Princess Jinhua was arrested, she had secretly sent a palace maid to request an audience with her.

At such a critical moment, who would dare have anything to do with Jinhua?

Consort Xian had instinctively avoided involvement—but puzzlement gnawed at her. Jinhua might be erratic, but she was not one to act without purpose.

If she wanted to see her, there must be a reason.

What reason, though—Consort Xian had no idea.

While she was still turning it over in her mind, Princess Shouan came to her.

That daughter of hers could never keep secrets—her face pale, she came asking about Jinhua. After two sharp questions from her mother, she broke down, fell to her knees, and wept: “Aunt told me not to worry about the winter hunt—that once I went with Pei Shouzhen to the Lishan hunting grounds, once the rice was cooked and the meal done, she would make sure the position of Young Madam Pei was vacated for me. Then I could marry Pei Shouzhen rightfully… Royal Mother, I never imagined the way she meant to ‘vacate’ it was like this! I didn’t know she’d done so many vile things behind my back! Royal Mother, please—you must believe me, just once more—believe me!”

Consort Xian nearly went mad with fury. The composure forged from years of power shattered in an instant—she raised her hand and slapped Shouan hard across the face.

Seeing her daughter staring in shock, hand over her cheek, Consort Xian couldn’t stop herself—she struck her again.

“If I had known you were stupid enough to let that venomous woman use you as a pawn, I should have killed you the first time you schemed against others—sold that favor to Pei Shouzhen! Better that than let you be used again and again!”

Foolish—so utterly foolish.

If Shouan had been cunning and venomous like Jinhua, she would not have been this angry. But this daughter of hers was both malicious and stupid—hard to believe such a creature had come from her own womb. Yang Yilan could think of nothing more disgraceful in her life.

Stunned by the two slaps, Shouan stared at her mother’s crimson face, blood surging from rage, and dared not utter another sound.

Panting, Consort Xian finally managed to calm her breathing, and her thoughts began to move again.

Could it be that Jinhua wanted to see her to use Shouan as leverage—to drag Shouan down with her?

Glaring at the tearful girl on the floor, Consort Xian felt no trace of pity—only irritation.

After some thought, she decided she still had to visit the prison and meet Jinhua in person.

Before doing so, however, she first went to Zichen Palace to request an audience with Emperor Zhaoning.

That night, moonless and starless—

Clad in a black robe, Consort Xian entered the Ministry of Justice’s prison in secret, carrying wine and food.