Xiao Jiashan had come in a hurry, without even changing his clothes. He and Wei Ruxuan often lingered together at a shop that sold rouge and powders. That shop was run by the son of Wei Ruxuan’s nanny, and everyone there kept their mouths tightly shut—no one ever spoke of it.
The shop was heavy with fragrance, and after spending time inside, one inevitably carried the scent on their body.
Xiao Jiashan was usually glib-tongued. Hearing the Empress Dowager’s remark, he quickly smiled and said: “The maidservants in my quarters must have put the wrong incense in the burner. Imperial Grandmother, your nose is truly sharp. You often say you are old, but in your grandson’s eyes, you are still very young.”
This flattery missed its mark. The Empress Dowager’s face remained dark and stern.
Empress Zheng secretly pinched Xiao Jiashan, then forced a smile: “Mother, I feel that none of the maids in Shan’er’s quarters are of much use. They were all palace maids bestowed upon him, most of them clumsy and dull. Shan’er is older now; he should have secondary consorts from noble families to guide him.”
Thinking of marriage, Xiao Jiashan grew even more sullen. He furrowed his brows: “Imperial Grandmother, I hear that the Wen family’s young lady is frail, and besides, she has no powerful relatives in court. Marrying her would bring no benefit to your grandson. In my opinion, it would be better to make her a secondary consort.”
These words struck directly at Empress Zheng’s heart. More than ten years ago, she had been willing for the Wen family’s daughter to become Xiao Jiashan’s principal wife because her parents were still alive. But now, with the Wen family in decline and no influence at court, they had no voice before the Emperor. To marry such a woman to the Fifth Prince would only drag him down.
Nanny Zhao saw the Empress Dowager growing angry and quickly moved to support her.
At that moment, a eunuch’s voice came from outside—it was the Emperor himself.
Emperor Jianxing’s health had not been good these past two years. Tall and lean, his sharp, severe features carried an innate authority even without anger.
Though Empress Zheng often saw him, she had not shared his bed in years. Hearing he had come, she was first delighted, then nervous.
The Empress Dowager’s expression shifted several times before settling into a kindly smile. “No need for ceremony, Emperor. What brings you here today? Manqing, quickly prepare tea for His Majesty—the newly tributed Phoenix Tuan is quite good.”
Emperor Jianxing’s sharp eyes swept over Empress Zheng and the Fifth Prince: “What were you two just talking about?”
“Shan’er is filial, he was telling me some amusing stories from outside to cheer me—”
Before she could finish, Xiao Jiashan interrupted the Empress Dowager, dropping to his knees: “Father, the Wen girl has no parents, no elders to guide her since childhood. People say a girl without a mother’s upbringing is ill-fated, a disaster if married into the household. I believe she is unfit to be a principal consort of the royal family—better to make her a secondary consort.”
The Empress Dowager’s clouded yet piercing eyes fixed on Xiao Jiashan:
“Impudent! Marriage is decided by parental command and the word of matchmakers. How dare you, you little monkey, presume to decide such matters yourself? Guards, drag the Fifth Prince away and confine him! He is to remain under house arrest until the wedding!”
The eunuchs rushed forward to seize the panicked prince.
Emperor Jianxing gestured, his expression shifting between light and dark: “The Wen girl has no parents, you say. Tell me—why does she have no parents?”
Empress Zheng, terrified that the Emperor would scold Xiao Jiashan, quickly knelt and spoke gently: “Your Majesty, the Wen girl’s fate is ill-starred. She was born to bring misfortune to her father and mother. The Fifth Prince holds such high status—if he marries her, I fear she will one day bring misfortune to her husband as well.”
Emperor Jianxing laughed in fury, staring straight at the Empress Dowager: “So, the reason Cang State invaded our Wei State for a hundred years, slaughtering hundreds of thousands of our soldiers and civilians, was because one little girl’s fate was unlucky? That all those lives were cut short because of the Wen family’s daughter?”
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, then slowly opened them:
“Emperor, that is not what they meant. You have always known—the Empress is clumsy with words, not one for flowery speech. What she meant was—”
Before she could finish, Emperor Jianxing kicked the Fifth Prince hard, slamming him against a pillar.
Though his health had declined in recent years, the Emperor’s old vigor remained; he was still stronger than many men in their twenties.
With that kick, the Fifth Prince spat out a mouthful of blood.
Empress Zheng, seeing her beloved son struck, nearly fainted with terror. She rushed forward to hold him: “Shan’er! Shan’er!!”
The force of the kick had sent the prince sprawling, and from his sleeve spilled not only trinkets but also a peach-pink handkerchief.
The Emperor signaled, and the chief eunuch hurried to pick up the handkerchief and present it to him.
At first, the Emperor thought the boy had once again been sneaking around in disreputable places. But when he read the writing on the handkerchief, his expression changed drastically.
Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager ordered eunuchs to summon the imperial physicians for the Fifth Prince, while reaching for the handkerchief in the Emperor’s hand: “These young men are simply too frivolous, surely led astray by those around them! Emperor, when you were young—”
But upon seeing the handkerchief herself, the Empress Dowager’s face turned utterly grim.
On it, written in red ink, were lines of poetry: “The secluded boudoir long lies in loneliness, with nothing to do through fragrant spring; I suppose the wandering poet would pity one who sighs so long.” (From Romance of the Western Chamber)
At the bottom of the handkerchief, the name “Ruxuan” was clearly written.
The Empress Dowager shot the Fifth Prince a fierce glare before saying:
“There are many women in the capital with that name. I myself know of four or five. Empress, I recall that Shan’er had a literate maidservant in his quarters—wasn’t her name Ruxuan?”
Empress Zheng, distraught over her son’s injuries and with her makeup ruined by tears, had no mind to heed the Empress Dowager. While rubbing the Fifth Prince’s chest, she sobbed: “I’ve never heard of any maidservant by his side who could read.”
The Fifth Prince pushed away his mother’s hand and crawled forward to kneel before the Emperor: “She is the daughter of the Minister of Rites, Wei Hao. Father, I have committed a grave sin—I have already pledged myself to Miss Wei. I beg you to grant her to me as my principal wife!”
At last, Empress Zheng realized the truth: “Shan’er, that is your Third Brother’s fiancée!”
Emperor Jianxing was nearly driven mad by this mother and son. He raised his foot to kick the Fifth Prince again.
At that moment, the Empress Dowager began coughing violently, her frail body trembling. Nanny Zhao cried out for the imperial physicians to be summoned.
The Emperor watched coldly for a moment, then, unable to bear it, stepped forward to pat the Empress Dowager’s shoulder.
The Empress Dowager sighed deeply and clasped the Emperor’s hand:
“The Wei girl is unchaste, deliberately seducing the Fifth Prince. He is young and ignorant and fell into her trap. I now decree that the Wei girl be put to death, and that a better marriage be found for Prince Qin.”
“No!” The Fifth Prince wiped the blood from his lips, his gaze resolute. “She did not seduce me—it was I who sought her out! We are truly in love. If you must condemn her, then condemn us both together!”
Empress Zheng weighed the situation. The Wei family was currently flourishing in court, with Minister Wei Hao well-connected. To marry the Wei family’s legitimate daughter was far better than marrying the Wen girl. If the Wei family were unworthy, the Emperor would not have granted her to Prince Qin in the first place. Ignoring the Empress Dowager’s look, she kept her head bowed and remained silent.
The Emperor’s hawk-like eyes swept over servants and nobles alike. None dared speak under his gaze.
This man had weathered countless storms. Even in perilous situations, he could calmly weigh the pros and cons.
After a pause, Emperor Jianxing said coldly: “This concerns the dignity of the imperial family. If today’s matter is spoken of outside these walls, nine generations will be implicated.”
The servants all answered in unison: “Yes.”
The Emperor then turned to the Empress Dowager, who was feigning illness: “Mother, the royal family cannot endure another scandal. I intend to grant the Wen girl to Prince Qin, and the Wei girl to the Fifth Prince.”
“Absolutely not! How could we explain this to the world?” the Empress Dowager protested. “Better to make the Wen girl Shan’er’s principal wife, and the Wei girl a concubine. As for Prince Qin, we can find him another bride. There are countless fine women in the realm—choosing a consort for him is easy.”
The Emperor sneered: “How can a woman once betrothed to Prince Qin be made into Old Five’s concubine? We will say that the Imperial Astronomer mistakenly recorded the birth dates of Miss Wen and Miss Wei. Now that Miss Wen has entered the capital, the error has been discovered. Her birth date matches better with Prince Qin, so she will marry him as the principal wife.”
The Empress Dowager tried to argue further, but Empress Zheng, seeing that the Emperor not only spared her and her son but also dissolved the Wen marriage, was overjoyed. She quickly knelt to thank him: “I am willing to obey Your Majesty’s command.”
The Emperor, having been vexed for over a month, finally felt his chest unburdened. He strode out of Shoukang Palace.