【Chapter Three: The Empress Must Be from the Cui Family】
Xie Hengwu admitted that she truly did not wish for Xiao Yanzhou to be harmed.
Firstly, it was only her second day in Beijiang. If the monarch were assassinated and she was present at the scene, Xie Hengwu would be unable to clear her name even if she jumped into a river.
Secondly, if she had actually shielded Xiao Yanzhou from a blade, he would surely have to keep her for a few more days.
Unfortunately… she hadn’t managed to shield him, and had frightened herself instead.
Xie Hengwu felt somewhat embarrassed, lowering her gaze to avoid Xiao Yanzhou’s eyes: “The situation was sudden, and I was indeed concerned for Your Majesty…”
Xiao Yanzhou smiled faintly, taking the embroidered handkerchief to carefully wipe away the blood stains on her face: “You underestimate me too much.”
“Zhao Quan, investigate thoroughly. Do not let anyone slip away.”
While saying this, Xiao Yanzhou stared intently at Xie Hengwu, his movements meticulous, causing her to shudder.
…Terrible, he still suspected her.
Yet from Xiao Yanzhou and Zhao Quan’s reactions, it seemed such assassinations had long become commonplace.
A complex, indescribable feeling surged within Xie Hengwu. She lifted her gaze, meeting Xiao Yanzhou’s deep, narrow eyes.
“The Meiren knows what should be said and what should not, right?”
Xie Hengwu stiffly nodded, forcing a smile: “Your Majesty, I saw nothing.”
He looked at her and slowly said: “Huo Heng, escort the Meiren back.”
Huo Heng was the commander of the Imperial Guard beside Xiao Yanzhou. As the words fell, a tall man dressed in martial robes entered the hall, responding solemnly.
Shortly after Xie Hengwu returned to Shicui Palace, rewards from Zichen Palace arrived in succession, clearly meant as consolation.
The matter of the assassin was strictly sealed off; even the palace servants of Zichen Palace had no knowledge of it, let alone Shicui Palace.
Throughout the palace, everyone believed Xie Hengwu had gained the Emperor’s favor, becoming the first consort in Beijiang to receive his grace.
Xie Hengwu understood this perfectly.
Upon seeing the rewards, she realized she could not remain an unnoticed vase in Beijiang as she had previously envisioned.
Once the news reached the court… the ministers of Beijiang would surely propose selecting consorts, and noble ladies of Beijiang would enter the palace…
Xie Hengwu felt overwhelmed just thinking about it slightly.
“Third Lady, did His Majesty yesterday…”
Li Luo entered the bedroom with a smile, her tone ambiguous.
Xie Hengwu glanced at her irritably: “Why did you come only now?”
Li Luo nervously rubbed her hands, muttering: “I was busy inventorying and storing His Majesty’s rewards. Lady, you don’t know—I noticed there seem to be some tribute treasures among them.”
Xie Hengwu raised her eyebrows, thinking secretly that Xiao Yanzhou was truly… extravagant.
This was practically placing her on a fire to roast.
“Enough, first have the small kitchen prepare something. I’m starving.” Xie Hengwu waved her hand irritably, ordering Li Luo to leave.
Seeing Li Luo walk beyond the bead curtain, Xie Hengwu suddenly remembered something and hurriedly called her back.
“Wait, come back,” Xie Hengwu looked at the puzzled Li Luo and said word by word, “Do not call me Third Lady anymore.”
Li Luo had habitually addressed Xie Hengwu this way, initially thinking she might be uncomfortable as she had just arrived in Beijiang, so she hadn’t changed it.
“Yes, Mistress. I will remember.” Li Luo respectfully bowed and quietly withdrew.
Xie Hengwu sighed softly. Seeing no one else in the bedroom, she reached under the pillow of the bed.
The weight in her palm reassured her.
This was the wealth she had accumulated over so many years at Changping Marquis Manor.
According to her original plan, since Xiao Yanzhou was not one to be close to women, if she could survive by being clever, he likely wouldn't pay her any mind.
He might even forget about her in the rear palace.
Then she could use a small sleight of hand, escape with her money, and soar freely under the vast sky—the freedom she had long dreamed of.
Just thinking about it, Xie Hengwu's lips gradually curved into a smile.
However, her smile didn't last long before the corners of her mouth drooped again.
But why was reality so different from what she had imagined?
It seemed Xiao Yanzhou would remember her existence for a long time to come.
Not only him, but also those ministers in the former court would remember her.
In the main hall of Zichen Palace, Xiao Yanzhou leaned back with closed eyes on the dragon throne at the head of the hall. His slender, well-defined fingers rested on the cold, gold-and-jade-inlaid armrest, tapping lightly, one after another.
In the spacious hall below, only one white-haired old man stood.
That was Director Zhou.
"Your Majesty, during my travels, I have indeed discovered some methods that could cure Your Majesty's ailment, but…"
"Cut the nonsense." Xiao Yanzhou opened his eyes, his gaze as cold as ice.
Director Zhou broke into a cold sweat, wiping his forehead.
When Xiao Yanzhou was young, he was feared by the former empress and was thus poisoned with a gu. Although the gu poison was later neutralized, it left him with a lingering head ailment that flared up almost every few days.
Each episode brought splitting headaches and unbearable pain.
Although the palace employed many attendants to massage Xiao Yanzhou, they were all unaware of the truth, believing it was merely his preference.
Those who accidentally uncovered the secret had long since turned to bleached bones at the bottom of the Forbidden Lake.
Apart from Xiao Yanzhou and a few trusted confidants, no one else knew of this secret.
"Your Majesty, I truly have a method, but the most crucial ingredient must wait until spring to be obtained." Director Zhou spoke tremblingly, then held his breath, wearing an expression of resigned acceptance.
"You mean to make me wait several more months?"
Director Zhou's sweat poured down instantly, and he repeatedly insisted he dared not, racking his brains for an excuse.
"Your Majesty, as the saying goes, illness strikes like a collapsing mountain but recedes like unraveling silk. Moreover, I am certain this medicine can cure Your Majesty's ailment. The wait… is unavoidable."
Xiao Yanzhou let out an ambiguous, cold laugh, causing Director Zhou's knees to buckle, nearly collapsing to the floor.
"Fine, I'll grant you a little more time."
Director Zhou almost couldn't believe his ears. He looked up in disbelief, only to see Xiao Yanzhou's icy face, faintly murderous, and hastily lowered his head again.
"However, you must examine someone for me."
Director Zhou dared not say anything more and quickly agreed.
For His Majesty to have the patience to wait for him was already a rare occurrence. Examining someone was nothing in comparison.
"Yes… Your Majesty, there is one more matter…"
Xiao Yanzhou shot him a sharp glare.
"Speak quickly."
Only then did Director Zhou dare to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. "When I entered the palace today, I encountered Duke Cui…"
Duke Cui was Left Prime Minister Cui, the one currently holding great power.
Xiao Yanzhou remained expressionless, but the hall grew noticeably colder.
"Duke Cui said… if Your Majesty is satisfied with the peace marriage princess, could the matter of selecting consorts also be put on the agenda?"
With each additional word spoken by Director Zhou, the chill in the hall deepened. By the time he finished conveying his message, the hall had fallen silent enough to hear a pin drop, as if the cold wind outside had blown straight inside.
After a long while, Xiao Yanzhou finally chuckled softly, his voice sinister,
"If he cares so much, why doesn’t he come to the palace himself?"
Zhao Quan beside him dared not even breathe, yet uncontrollably imagined the scene of Left Prime Minister Cui, at his advanced age, entering the rear palace, nearly turning his face purple from holding back.
Director Zhou laughed awkwardly: "I am merely conveying Duke Cui’s words, with no other meaning. Ultimately, everything depends on Your Majesty’s wishes."
Xiao Yanzhou was impatient with Director Zhou’s flattery and waved him away.
Director Zhou responded repeatedly, his hair and beard completely white at this age, yet his movements were unusually agile, slipping out of Zichen Palace as if oiled under his feet.
Xiao Yanzhou lowered his brows, his gaze deepening, his hand resting on the armchair still tapping lightly, intermittently.
He did not wish to hold a selection of consorts, firstly because his foundation was not yet stable, the court affairs were busy, and he had no mind to deal with matters of the rear palace; secondly, he did not want those noble families to think they had an opportunity to influence him through the rear palace.
Accepting the marriage alliance from Nanliang was also due to the frequent warfare in recent years, forcing Nanliang to cough up some wealth to serve as military provisions for the soldiers at the border.
Additionally, it served to relax their vigilance, so that later he could march south and annex them.
Xiao Yanzhou calculated step by step in his mind, then returned to thinking about Left Prime Minister Cui.
The current Empress Dowager comes from the Cui Clan; in fact, Xiao Yanzhou should call Left Prime Minister Cui his uncle.
This is why court officials all avoid Xiao Yanzhou, yet Left Prime Minister Cui alone dares to offer advice.
Xiao Yanzhou pressed his forehead, thinking darkly,
The Cui Clan has been somewhat restless lately.
National Temple.
The Buddha statue gazed down with compassionate eyes, incense smoke curled before the Buddha, and faint Buddhist chants drifted softly.
A richly dressed woman knelt before the Buddha, palms together, eyes closed, murmuring softly.
A matron gently pushed the door open, then leaned down to whisper beside the woman’s ear.
The woman remained unmoved, still softly reciting Buddhist scriptures. Only when distant bell sounds echoed outside did she stop and open her eyes.
The matron stood nearby, her expression anxious: "Empress Dowager, you see…"
The woman raised a hand, and the matron immediately silenced herself, stepping forward to support her.
She turned around, her phoenix eyes sharp.
Xiao Yanzhou also had such eyes.
"After all, she is a marriage alliance bride, not related to Beijiang, so he can be somewhat arbitrary, which is normal." Empress Dowager Cui slowly said, twirling Buddhist beads between her fingers.
"But Empress Dowager, that person never before…"
"Hmph, he is deliberately opposing me, to disgust me." Empress Dowager Cui said coldly, "Only this marriage alliance princess is somewhat chosen by himself, can he not value her more?"
"What does the Cui residence say?"
The matron respectfully replied: "Reporting to Empress Dowager, Duke Cui this morning after the early court session has already mentioned the selection of consorts to His Majesty. Tomorrow, several ministers will also submit petitions to His Majesty."
"…That is good. If the emperor does not wish it, I will make him wish it."
"But Empress Dowager, if His Majesty still refuses, what should we do?" The matron worried.
After all, when Empress Dowager Cui previously forced court officials to pressure Xiao Yanzhou into selecting consorts, Xiao Yanzhou directly ordered the Imperial Guard to execute a minister in court, frightening the officials so much that they took leave for several days, daring not attend court.
Later, Empress Dowager Cui again arbitrarily placed women into Xiao Yanzhou’s rear palace, only for those women to be skinned alive, made into genuine "Beauty Couches," and delivered to the National Temple.
That was the most terrifying scene the matron had witnessed in her long life.
Empress Dowager Cui was so furious that she fell ill for a full month.
"Don't rush. Once the emperor tires of the princess from the marriage alliance, everything will be easier to handle."
"But Your Majesty, if the emperor truly loves that princess, what then…"
"A princess sent for marriage alliance to curry favor, what difference does she have from a tribute?" Empress Dowager Cui leaned on the maid's arm as she walked out, her words filled with disdain. "The emperor is merely seeking novelty—how could he genuinely like her?"
"The Empress of Beijiang must come from the Cui family."
The maid whispered softly, "How does Your Majesty intend to deal with her?"
Empress Dowager Cui smiled, her eyes flickering. "Since the emperor still likes her now, let her stay a little longer. And incidentally, let her do some things for me."