Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Chill Within the Palace
When Emperor Yongchang hurried back to the capital, he saw the beggars kneeling outside the palace gates. He gazed icily at the Crown Prince, who was kneeling on the ground. “So this is how you govern in my absence?”
Crown Prince Li Hanwen kept his mouth shut and did not speak a word. In truth, he already possessed evidence of the Third Prince’s mischief. Yet Li Hanwen knew all too well the temperament of Emperor Yongchang. If he were to present the evidence now, the Emperor would only rebuke him—believing his son to be useless for failing to handle such a trivial matter, and now trying to frame his own brother.
Thus, Li Hanwen remained quietly kneeling in the imperial study, the cold floor biting into his knees. He had no one to plead for him; his mother was long gone. All he could do was wait in silence until his father’s anger abated.
After settling all affairs, Emperor Yongchang looked up and saw his son still kneeling there. He said curtly, “Rise.”
Li Hanwen offered his obeisance, then limped from the study. Outside, the Fourth Prince, Li Deren, was waiting. Snow was falling thick and heavy over the capital, coating everything in white. Li Deren silently wrapped a cloak around his elder brother’s shoulders.
When the two returned to the Eastern Palace, Li Hanwen’s expression was grim and weary. Li Deren gently massaged his brother’s temples. “Brother, isn’t this all too stifling? When will we be able to strike back?”
Li Hanwen lifted Li Deren’s chin, noting the youthful redness in his brother’s eyes. In a soft voice, he asked, “Why are you crying?”
“Brother, Second Brother has power and lives recklessly. Third Brother has nothing, but he has a good mother, so his life isn’t so hard. As for me, I don’t really understand what it means to be Crown Prince. But when I see you battered and bruised like this, I can’t help but feel indignant.”
Li Hanwen embraced his brother and sighed. “Remember this—thunder or rain, favor or punishment, all comes from the Emperor’s hand. Father only favors a useless heir.”
“Father just returned from the frontier. Do you think he is unaware of what we do? He simply chooses to look the other way. Only when he consents can we act with impunity.”
“This time, even though Father knows it was Third Brother’s doing, he will say nothing. When everyone is aware of the truth, there’s no need to speak it aloud.”
Li Deren raised his head. “Then, Brother, when will the evidence we’ve gathered be of use?”
“When he thinks he can bring me down, the evidence will surface. Then, the charges of plotting against the heir and fratricide will all be laid at his feet.”
Hearing this, Li Deren shuddered and looked at his brother. When he left, his heart was cold—though, after living so many years in this palace, it had long since frozen. Without the Crown Prince’s protection, he would have become little more than someone else’s shield. Third Brother, too, must understand this.
What truly mattered was the Emperor’s mercy. No matter how ironclad the evidence, if Father neither believes nor pities you, what use is it?
“Thunder or rain, favor or punishment, all are the Emperor’s grace.” Third Prince Li Taian received a letter. No one knew how many horses it took to bring it.
Li Taian read the brief message: “The Emperor is displeased and has reprimanded.”
He held the slip to the candle’s flame, a handsome smile flickering on his lips. “So, Father is finally going to take a knife to Eldest Brother. How delightful.”
His beautiful features were tinged with malicious delight. Xiao Gexu stood quietly behind him.
“Your Highness, winter is nearly here. Soon there will be skirmishes at Da’ankou, large or small.”
“His Majesty knows you cannot command the garrison at Da’ankou; that’s why he rebuked the Crown Prince. Our actions have been exposed.”
Xiao Gexu’s gentle voice drifted over. Li Taian sighed, then looked at him with a hint of coldness. “So what? Compared to Second Brother living, Father would rather he die.”
“Hundreds of thousands at the border know only the Prince of Shengxuan, not the Emperor. Do you think that once you hold power at the frontier, you can rest easy?”
“With each of Second Brother’s victories, Father’s sleep grows more troubled. That’s why he tacitly allows our schemes; otherwise, why would everything go so smoothly?”
He gave a bitter laugh. “If Second Brother dies, I’ll take his place—then the Crown Prince will send me to die on the battlefield?”
There was a trace of irony in his smile. Such was the helplessness of those born to this palace.
Xiao Gexu stayed silent. That night, some lay awake, while others managed a fitful sleep. Yet none of it could rescue the weeping souls within the palace.
Noble Consort Xianrou, Yuan Chuxia, gazed in the direction of the Virtuous Consort’s residence and managed a bitter smile. She sat as usual in the imperial gardens, admiring the withering of the autumn flowers, when Virtuous Consort approached.
“Greetings and blessings, Your Highness,” she intoned, bowing to Yuan Chuxia, who waved her hand for her to rise.
The two women sat together in the garden, eyeing each other. “I’ve heard, Sister, that you’re often ill. Yet seeing you today, you seem quite well.”
“Whether I am well or not, how could you know? My health is my own concern; you needn’t trouble yourself over it.”
Yuan Chuxia’s serene smile remained as she spoke. The Virtuous Consort, hearing this, replied with a hint of insolence. “Sister, do you not speak up for your son? The Crown Prince spares no effort to bring down the Prince of Shengxuan, yet you say nothing to His Majesty.”
Yuan Chuxia glanced at her. “If speaking were useful, would Third Prince not have returned to the capital long ago?”
The Virtuous Consort’s face darkened. The Noble Consort smiled. “As one of the four consorts, you should be a model for the harem.”
Her expression grew even gloomier. The Noble Consort watched the flowers fade in the garden and smiled. “You must understand: flowers bloom and wither in their season. Some things simply cannot be forced.”
She rose to leave. Spoiled since childhood, the Virtuous Consort panicked and tugged at her, unintentionally pushing Yuan Chuxia to the ground. The Noble Consort only laughed softly. “Enough. There’s no point in quarreling with you.”
The Virtuous Consort stared in shock, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Sister, I didn’t mean it. Blame the servants for not stopping me. I just wanted to talk.”
Yuan Chuxia calmly regarded her, then dusted off her robes. “What is it you want to say? That your son means my son no harm? That he harbors no ambition? Don’t take others for fools—when you do, they’ll do the same to you.”
With a cold glance, she turned and left. The Virtuous Consort watched her go, her face icy.
Their conversation soon reached Emperor Yongchang, who narrowed his eyes and looked coldly at Bai Qiu behind him.
That day, the Virtuous Consort was reprimanded. Yuan Chuxia watched Bai Qiu, who had come to her palace bearing gifts, and smiled faintly.
She spoke quietly, “Do you think I need these things?”
Bai Qiu, ever the cunning courtier, immediately kneeled. “Your Highness naturally has use for them.”
She gestured for him to leave the offerings and withdraw.
When Li Yanhe received word, he understood well enough what had transpired in the palace. He gazed up at the sky and gave a bitter laugh.
Meanwhile, Lin Miaomiao had reached the end of the year and it was time to settle accounts with the nearby villages. Normally, it was Anqi who ran errands back and forth.
As a mere girl, Lin Miaomiao lacked authority, but with Anqi handling matters, there was less questioning. She pored over the account books, tallying numbers, when she noticed a discrepancy between the raw materials purchased by one workshop and the quantity of discarded pastries.
She recalculated meticulously, and the error persisted. Deciding to investigate in person the next day, she stayed up late with her books and suddenly craved a midnight snack.
Heading for the kitchen, she found Li Yanhe standing in the darkness, expression veiled by shadow.
In that instant, Lin Miaomiao sensed his sorrow and grief. She’d found Li Yanhe a decent man these past days—unassuming and kind to her.
She couldn’t imagine what had troubled this cold-faced man so deeply. Walking over, she patted him lightly. “It’s late. Why stand in the courtyard, letting the cold wind blow? Are you a fool?”