Since Granny Sun moved into the Beast House, Shen Hui hadn’t had a single peaceful night’s sleep.
Granny Sun rose early, lighting her lamp before the fifth watch, her coughing and spitting loud enough to shake the heavens. Xiao Li attended to her washing and grooming, yet the slightest dissatisfaction would earn her beatings and scoldings. The sharp, cutting words pierced through the walls, invading Shen Hui’s dreams.
Shen Hui had tried to comfort Xiao Li, but the girl only endured and played the victim, constantly seeking protection. Over time, Shen Hui grew somewhat weary of it.
“Did your foster mother hit you again?” That day, the weather was unusually clear, with crisp autumn air. Shen Hui opened the window to bask in the morning sun as she wove willow branches, only to be met once more by Xiao Li’s complaints. Shen Hui responded indifferently, not stopping the girl from speaking but letting the words go in one ear and out the other as her fingers flew, focused on making a toy for Jinyun. “You’re a house-born servant in the estate. I heard your older sister works in the rear courtyard serving a master. Why should you fear a mere Granny Sun?”
“Sister, you don’t understand. Although my older sister serves as a maidservant to a master, her master is out of favor, and even the servants under her are looked down upon. My father is a groom, and my mother is a washerwoman in the Laundry House, toiling day and night with no time to care for us children.” Xiao Li choked back tears, her voice trembling with emotion. “Besides, my mother saw that my foster mother was in charge of purchasing and had money to spare, so she wanted to arrange a childhood marriage alliance with her. With all these connections, how could I possibly resist?”
After speaking, she looked grateful. “Fortunately, Sister is here. My foster mother fears you as Madam Xu’s niece. Seeing that I’m close to you, she rarely hits me now.”
“That’s good.” Shen Hui observed that Xiao Li still seemed intent on pouring out her grievances endlessly and forced a thin smile. “You may go now. I need to visit Aunt Duan.”
Shen Hui was straightforward by nature and disliked people who dragged things out or submitted meekly to mistreatment. Moreover, Xiao Li’s sudden closeness felt inexplicable. In the past, she might have helped without a second thought, but after the incident with Shiwu, she had learned to remain vigilant at all times.
One must not harbor ill intentions toward others, but one must also guard against them. If she were ever falsely accused, the thought of leaving her unspent silver behind would surely make her die with regrets.
“I heard from Liu’er and Qi’er that you’ve recently taken in another ‘good sister,’ named Xiao Li.” Seeing the messy, hastily written characters Shen Hui submitted, Aunt Duan knew she was troubled again.
Shen Hui, suffering from insomnia once more, slumped over the table with dark circles under her eyes, listless and slow to reply. “Xiao Li’s foster mother, Granny Sun, frequently beats and scolds her. I couldn’t stand it, and over time, we became familiar.”
“Yet you seem hesitant.” Aunt Duan pointed out her concern. “You’re uneasy.”
“Aunt, Xiao Li’s circumstances are pitiable, but I find it hard to trust her completely.” Shen Hui furrowed her brows. “She fawns over me and tries to please me in every way, as if she has no preferences of her own. Everything feels too coincidental, and she’s overly eager.”
Aunt Duan collected the papers and sighed. “Good. You’re learning to think.”
Shen Hui pursed her lips and whined playfully. “Aunt, I’m not foolish, am I?”
“You’re not foolish, and you have a strong, clear-cut personality, but you’re too quick to trust others.” Aunt Duan smiled faintly. “Liu’er and Qi’er do flatter and curry favor with you, but before you even understood their backgrounds, you showed them kindness. If those two young maidservants weren’t under my watch, you’d have stumbled over them sooner or later.”
“Liu’er is one of your people?” Shen Hui stared in astonishment.
"I only ever warned you that Liu'er was getting close to Shiwu, but I never denied that Liu'er takes orders from me." Aunt Duan poured a cup of strong, invigorating tea for Shen Hui and leisurely explained, "You don't need to think of Liu'er as all that bad. It's not easy for a young maidservant to climb up. She hid things simply because she wanted a few more pieces of candy or a few more copper coins. Human nature is complex; it's never simply black or white. Xiao Li might just be seeking your protection, or perhaps she's showing off a bit of cleverness. Or maybe she has another master behind her."
Shen Hui tilted her head, her thoughts swirling: "So I need to be wary of Xiao Li, but I shouldn't show it too obviously on the surface."
"Your eyes are very bright, but being too bright isn't always a good thing." Aunt Duan gathered her sleeves and circled over a dozen characters, ordering her to go back and rewrite them, her tone meaningful. "Keep your thoughts hidden in your heart."
Hidden in her heart?
Shen Hui propped her face in her hands, looking up at Aunt Duan, her eyes filled with confusion about how to hide her thoughts, clear as crystal.
"You, get out now." Aunt Duan felt exasperated. Out of sight, out of mind. She waved her away with a headache.
Afraid of being hit on the head with a book again, Shen Hui had already stepped over the threshold the moment Aunt Duan spoke. She descended the stairs while deep in thought.
She was by no means someone who would sit idly by and wait. Rather than idly guessing whether Xiao Li was good or bad, it was better to take the initiative.
Back in her room, Shen Hui waited for Liu'er to come find her and beckoned her over.
"Sister, I'm here, I'm here!" Liu'er, who had just shared a piece of candy with Qi'er, came bouncing over.
"Are you Aunt Duan's person?" Shen Hui got straight to the point.
Liu'er was so frightened she knelt down, crawling forward a couple of steps to tug at Shen Hui's sleeve. "Aunt Duan noticed long ago that Shiwu was acting suspiciously and told me to win her trust by currying favor. Sister, I was wrong to hide it from you. Please, sister, be magnanimous and don't hold it against me. Don't feed me to Jinyun."
Her demeanor clearly showed she had prepared for this.
"Get up." Shen Hui was both angry and amused, thinking to herself that this wangfu truly hid dragons and crouched tigers—even a young maidservant could deceive her. "Let go quickly. You're like a piece of sticky plaster."
"I won't get up until you forgive me, sister. Only then will I dare to rise." Liu'er threw herself onto Shen Hui's knees, tears and snot flowing. "I have no eighty-year-old mother above me, nor an eight-year-old child below. My family is just me, all alone. Please forgive me, sister."
Shen Hui sighed helplessly. "I forgive you. But if you ever hide anything from me again in the future, you'll be like that bone Jinyun chews on."
She grabbed Liu'er's wrist, pretending to take her to find Jinyun.
"I-I-I-I swear, if I ever hide anything from you again, sister, may I die a horrible death." Liu'er, who feared Jinyun the most, cried out with genuine terror, tears streaming down her face.
"I-I-I-I trust you." Only then did Shen Hui reveal what she truly wanted to discuss with Liu'er. "In that case, go and keep a close watch on Granny Sun and Xiao Li for me. If either of them makes any suspicious moves, tell me immediately. Consider it redeeming your mistake."
Today was a day of rest, with the regular court session suspended. Prince Chu only summoned a few chief ministers and the heads of the six ministries to the palace for discussions. After the discussions concluded, to show proper etiquette, he did not linger and immediately returned to his mansion.
"Great Prince, Bihe from the princess consort's side has come. She says the princess consort invites you to join her for the midday meal." The personal Eunuch You Shun stepped lightly into the central hall, standing far behind the sandalwood bookcase carved with scrolling grass patterns. He bowed his head with hands clasped, pretending not to see the disorderly piles of books and scrolls.
"Hmm." Prince Chu set down his brush. The more he looked at the floating, chaotic strokes on the paper, the more annoyed he felt. He ordered the Young Eunuchs to clear it away. "This prince will go."
Last night, the imperial physician suddenly reported that after taking the elixir, Emperor Father's condition had greatly improved, turning from critical to stable.
How could it be? Could there truly be a miraculous medicine in this world?
Although Prince Chu revered Buddhism and Daoism, he did not believe in claims that defied the natural order of the world.
Compared to tales of the supernatural, he was more wary of human schemes.
Well, he had already waited so many years; he could wait a little longer.
"You Shun, let's go." Prince Chu composed himself, straightened his robes slightly, and once again appeared as composed and dignified as ever.
Ningyuan Residence.
"Fifth Prince, I fear I have made a mistake." The Princess Consort of Chu, abandoning her usual dignified restraint, addressed him with an intimate title, her eyes glistening with tears.
Prince Chu was the fifth prince. In the early years of their marriage, the Princess Consort often called him "Fifth Prince," but at some point, she had learned to address him properly as "Great Prince."
"Do not rush. First, explain everything to me in detail." After so many years together, Prince Chu could tell from her demeanor that the situation was urgent. He immediately dismissed the attendants, drew her close, and comforted her gently, "As long as we, husband and wife, are united, there may still be a way to remedy this."
The Princess Consort furrowed her delicate brows, her voice trembling with distress: "After unintentionally discovering that Consort Zheng was concealing her illness, I grew concerned for her health and immediately sent Tian Nüshi to the Imperial Medical Bureau in the palace to request a physician. However, the palace reported that His Majesty is gravely ill, and with the autumn chill, many households have recently requested imperial physicians, so the appointment was scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Once the physician arrives and examines Consort Zheng, I fear the truth will be exposed—that someone has been harming her with conflicting medicinal properties."
"What are your thoughts on the mastermind behind this?" Prince Chu remained the picture of a refined gentleman; even someone as perceptive as the Princess Consort could not discern his joy, anger, or sorrow.
"Fifth Prince, you must believe me and the other sisters in the wangfu. After discovering the second type of medicinal residue, I ordered a discreet search of the rear courtyard, and nothing seemed amiss. I am willing to vouch for the sisters—the mastermind behind the plot to harm Consort Zheng is not among them. This is entirely due to my negligence, and I beg you not to punish the others." The Princess Consort spoke concisely, yet every word struck at the heart of the matter, pointing directly to Consort Zheng, who had orchestrated this scheme of self-inflicted suffering.
"I naturally trust you all." His gaze turned cold, and his smile stiffened slightly. Then, he personally took a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from the Princess Consort's temples, using the gesture to conceal his momentary lapse. "Rest assured, when the imperial physician arrives, I will accompany you to Consort Zheng's examination. With me present, the palace physician will know to exercise discretion."
"Fortunately, you still trust me. Otherwise, once this matter comes to light, the entire wangfu would be unable to defend itself and would unjustly bear the stigma of discord among wives and concubines, with the mistress accused of jealousy." The Princess Consort did not trust Prince Chu's faith in her, but she believed he shared her regard for reputation as dearly as life itself. "Moreover, it would tarnish your own reputation, Great Prince. The one who laid this trap is truly malicious."
Prince Chu's eyes grew shadowy and inscrutable. He took her hand and patted it gently. "Do not worry. This will not happen."
All that transpired in Ningyuan Residence remained completely unknown to Consort Zheng.
She was already critically ill, clinging to life by a mere thread.
"How is the side consort?" During the examination, outside the lotus-green curtained enclosure, the Princess Consort sat upright in the seat of honor, her brow slightly furrowed.
Although the imperial physician had been offered a seat, he dared not sit. Bowing his head cautiously, he clasped his hands in apology, wiping the sweat that continuously beaded on his forehead. "Reporting to the Princess Consort, the side consort's body was weakened years ago due to a difficult childbirth. Recently, she has been plagued by excessive worry and pent-up emotions. Moreover, based on her pulse, it appears she has taken potent tonic medicines. While they provided temporary relief, they have damaged her foundation. I beg your forgiveness for my limited skill; I can only prescribe a mild tonic to manage the situation and strive to prolong her days as much as possible."
He glanced subtly at Prince Chu, who sat alongside the Princess Consort, not daring to speculate further.
Prince Chu's ascension to the throne was already a certainty, so why would he go out of his way to invite unnecessary misfortune?
"Princess Consort, instruct the side consort to focus on recuperating and remind her to think of her Fourth Young Master." After the imperial physician hastily took his leave, Prince Chu departed with a smile that did not reach his eyes, his sleeves sweeping as he turned away.
The curtained enclosure was drawn aside by young maidservants, and the Princess Consort of Chu stepped into the dimly lit bedchamber, where the air was thick with the scent of medicine.
Consort Zheng broke free from Bihe, who had been covering her mouth, and coughed uncontrollably, trembling all the while. "You've pulled the rug out from under me by telling the great prince everything. Aren't you afraid of exposing your own scheming, hypocrisy, and venomous nature?"
"The great prince already knows," the Princess Consort replied calmly, smoothing her sleeves.
"Then why hasn't he punished Consort Cui?" Consort Zheng's eyes burned with hatred. "Consort Cui caused my difficult childbirth, made Fourth Prince fall ill, and blocked my attempts to seek help from my family. If not for your protection, how could the great prince tolerate her?"
"In earlier years, the great prince favored Consort Cui, but she failed to cherish it." At these words, a flicker of pity, almost imperceptible, passed through the Princess Consort's eyes before her expression turned impassive as she looked at Consort Zheng. "Rest well. You need not worry about Fourth Young Master's safety. The great prince has said that from now on, he will live in my courtyard alongside Third Prince, so the brothers can look after each other."
Upon hearing this, Consort Zheng's resentment deepened. She fixed her gaze on the Princess Consort's retreating figure, hurling curses without end. Overwhelmed by emotion, her chest heaved with the rasping sound of exhaustion until, at last, she coughed up a mouthful of dark blood.
"Princess Consort, you should have told her the truth," Bihe said, unwilling to see her master bear the blame unjustly.
"She has only a few days left," the Princess Consort replied, gently rubbing her prayer beads. "Why should I crush her spirit?"
Once, it was not Consort Cui who intercepted Consort Zheng's plea for help to her family—it was the Zheng family itself that refused to intervene.
"Tian Nüshi has sent someone to the Beast House…" Chun Tao hurriedly reported in a low voice as soon as they returned to the courtyard.
"Utterly unrestrained." The Princess Consort's eyes turned icy, a rare direct rebuke in her tone. "Leave it for now. Since you always speak highly of Shen Hui under Aunt Duan's charge, saying she has inherited the true teachings of Madam Xu and Aunt Duan and will prove useful in the future, let me see if your judgment holds true."
She detested internal strife among her own people the most.
Tian Nüshi's repeated efforts to eliminate rivals had already earned her the Princess Consort's displeasure, but a suitable replacement had yet to be found. Aunt Duan was steady and reliable, yet she had not garnered as much favor as Tian Nüshi in the past—further observation was still needed.
Author's Note: