As dusk settled, the Bronze Sparrow Hall in the Northern Garden blazed with light.
Empress Dowager Lu sat calmly behind a rosewood desk carved with auspicious crane patterns, practicing her calligraphy.
Though she was past forty, her high position and years of comfortable living had kept her well-preserved. Her hair was as black as ink, and her still-handsome face bore not a single wrinkle, making her appear only a little over thirty.
Yet her phoenix eyes, slightly murky and yellowed, faintly betrayed the cunning calculation and ruthless cruelty within—and in them, one could still discern the passage of time and the marks of aging.
She had heard from her trusted palace maid Su Wan that Xie Zhi had been arrogant and overbearing, brawling openly in the palace, whipping and humiliating her sisters, speaking rudely to the Noble Consort who tried to intervene, and even striking and injuring the Noble Consort.
As a result, the Emperor had stripped her of her title as Princess, demoted her to commoner status, and sent her to Qinglong Temple on Yuntai Mountain in the southern suburbs to cultivate herself and pray for the late Emperor's soul—never to leave for the rest of her life.
Upon hearing this, she was so furious that her large characters on the rice paper came out crooked. She scolded with bitter disappointment: "Utterly stupid!"
"How many times have I warned this wretched child that it is no longer my hand governing the harem and the court? I told her to restrain herself, to change that arrogant, overbearing, and rude temperament of hers—but she simply refuses to listen!"
With a look of bitter frustration, Empress Dowager Lu slapped down the wolf-hair brush she had just dipped in thick ink. The heavy ink splattered across the paper, blurring the character "wait" she had written crookedly in her anger beyond recognition.
Su Wan hurriedly spoke in a soft voice to console her: "Please calm your anger, Empress Dowager. Do not let this ruin your health. The priority now is to find a way to rescue the Third Princess!"
"Qinglong Temple is where imperial consorts of low rank and without heirs go to cultivate themselves after the Emperor's passing. There, they eat plain broth and coarse tea day after day, rise before dawn to chant sutras and pray, and spend their days hauling water, gathering firewood, and doing manual labor. Life there is extremely harsh—worse than prisoners in a dungeon."
"How could the Third Princess, born to gold and jade, endure such suffering?"
She picked up the celadon teapot beside her and poured a cup of clear tea for Empress Dowager Lu, then signaled with her eyes for the young palace maid attending nearby to clean up the papers on the desk.
Seeing that Empress Dowager Lu was too angry to drink, she continued to persuade: "Regardless, the Third Princess is the only legitimate bloodline of the late Emperor."
"If Your Grace immediately rallies the old ministers in the court who are loyal to the late Emperor and to you, and submits a memorial pleading for the Third Princess, the Emperor will surely have to show leniency out of respect for those old ministers!"
Empress Dowager Lu raised a hand to support her head and shook it, looking helpless.
"Everyone knows that young lady of the Ming family is the apple of Duke Supporting State's eye. Xie Chongyuan's decree to punish that wretched child severely is surely meant to stand up for the Ming girl and keep the Duke's favor."
"Why would he offend the powerful Duke Supporting State's household for the sake of a few old ministers like us? We'd be lucky if Xie Chongyuan doesn't use this opportunity to find some leverage against me."
"Besides, that wretched child refuses to learn from her mistakes. She never shows the slightest discretion—arrogant and tyrannical as she is, she dared to throw punches openly before so many people in the palace. How can I possibly cover for her anymore?"
"If I were to lower myself and join the old ministers in submitting a memorial to plead her case, then the reputation for benevolence and virtue that I have painstakingly cultivated before those old ministers for half my life would be destroyed by this wretched child in an instant!"
It was precisely through this reputation for virtue that she had been able to remain in the palace, biding her time in hiding.
Now, not only could she not plead for mercy, but at tomorrow's court assembly she would have to go before Xie Chongyuan and offer a humble apology to distance herself and preserve her image of virtuous wisdom in the eyes of others.
Empress Dowager Lu's face was full of bitter disappointment. She closed her eyes in fury, then, as if having made some resolution, let out a long sigh. Suppressing the pain and helplessness in her heart, she waved her hand.
"She's useless anyway—no need to save her. Going to Qinglong Temple is fine…"
"These years, I have been too busy with court affairs to properly discipline her. Her temperament was spoiled into arrogance by her dear father, and she's as stupid as a pig. Let her go to Qinglong Temple to temper her nature and reform her ways."
"If I rise to power in the future, there will always be a chance for her to return. Otherwise, with a temperament like hers, even if I continued to shelter her, she would end up like this sooner or later…"
All these years, she had been occupied with the struggle for power and influence, and since Xie Zhi was a useless daughter who could never inherit the throne, she had never found the time to bother disciplining her.
Xie Zhi's temperament had been spoiled beyond measure by the late Emperor, and she had stirred up no small amount of trouble since childhood.
Now that she was older, she showed not a trace of maturity or restraint—instead, she had only grown worse, causing more and more disasters, each one greater than the last. If she continued to stay by her side, she would always be a liability, and who knew when she might be dragged down by her.
Now that Xie Chongyuan had sent her to Qinglong Temple to cultivate herself, it was just as well—it would temper her nature. If she gained power in the future, there would still be a time for her to return.
Su Wan had served by Empress Dowager Lu's side since her time in the Duke of Chengguo's mansion, and she knew best of the Empress Dowager's ruthlessness, her schemes, and what she valued most.
The weight Xie Zhi held as a daughter in Empress Dowager Lu's heart was far less than that of power and profit. Even if Xie Zhi had been a son, she would merely have been a more useful pawn in Empress Dowager Lu's struggle for power and influence.
Hearing this, she said no more, only sending the teacup once again to Empress Dowager Lu's hand, and softly consoled her: "Then this servant will send someone to Qinglong Temple shortly to make arrangements, at least so that Third Princess will suffer less torment there in the future."
Empress Dowager Lu took the clear tea that Su Wan had brought to her hand, drank it to quell the anger in her heart, and her face had already resumed its usual composure and calm. She then asked in a faint voice: "The message I had you deliver a few days ago—was it sent out? Has any news come back from Xie Chongshen's side?"
A trace of smugness appeared on Su Wan's composed face as she bowed and reported: "Though the Emperor's shadow guards keep a tight watch on the Northern Garden, this servant has after all spent over ten more years in this palace than they have. The message was sent out a few days ago."
"Prince Dongyang also gave the Empress Dowager his reply today—he is most willing to cooperate with you, working from within while you strike from without."
As if she had anticipated this all along, Empress Dowager Lu picked up the new wolf-hair brush the palace maid had replaced, dipped it in ink, and continued practicing her calligraphy, giving her orders in a detached tone.
"All these years, Xie Chongshen has relied on secretly embezzling tax revenues and seizing civilian farmland and salt ponds—those shady dealings—to raise his troops and horses. Now that Xie Chongyuan has ordered a strict audit of tax records, his days are likely not easy."
"Go inform our people in the Ministry of Revenue to turn a blind eye toward Prince Dongyang's affairs. Consider it a token of sincerity from this old woman for our cooperation with him."
"But also remember to have those below keep a close watch on Xie Chongshen's every move and report back at any time."
Back during the rebellion of the nine princes, Prince Dongyang, Xie Chongshen, was the only one who could match Xie Chongyuan in strength, and he was also the only member of the imperial clan who managed to walk away unscathed after Xie Chongyuan seized the throne.
Clearly, Xie Chongshen's power was not to be underestimated. To join hands with such a man, one misstep could easily reduce one to his pawn.
"Yes," Su Wan acknowledged softly, then a look of worry and confusion surfaced on her face, and she could not help but ask: "Prince Dongyang's methods and depth of scheming are no less than the Emperor's—he even possesses a venomous ruthlessness the Emperor lacks."
"If he should one day ascend the throne, he will surely never allow the Empress Dowager to control him. Now, aside from Prince Dongyang, several other members of the imperial clan descended from the late Emperor have also pledged their allegiance to you, wishing to join forces with you."
"Their strength is not to be underestimated either. Why not choose among them a clansman who will be easier to control in the future, and join hands with him instead?"
Hearing this, Empress Dowager Lu gave a cold snort. Lowering her eyes, she continued to lift her brush and write the half-finished characters, explaining in a cold voice: "How could this old woman not know of Prince Dongyang's wolfish ambitions?"
"Even when the late Emperor was still alive, he was already ambitious and had long coveted the position of heir apparent. The several princes this old woman adopted—now that I think carefully upon it, I fear not one of them died by anyone's hand but his."
Having said this, she let out a long sigh and said with considerable helplessness: "But Xie Chongyuan's position in court grows more stable by the day, and he has won over a host of senior ministers led by the Duke of Fuguo's mansion and the Marquis of Yong'an's mansion."
"If he takes more noble daughters from prominent families in the future, then our people at court will only dwindle further."
"His recent order for a thorough audit of tax records across all prefectures may have offended every noble family, but it has also won him even greater support among the people. Officials of humble origins and common folk in the streets all sing his praises, saying he worries for the country and cares for the people—a rare sage emperor for the ages."
She set down her brush and put it aside, her gaze resolute. "The only way we can possibly pull Xie Chongyuan down from the dragon throne now is to join hands with Xie Chongshen—the very man Xie Chongyuan himself must treat with caution."
Finally, Empress Dowager Lu added with profound meaning: "But when the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole waits behind. Who is the mantis, and who is the oriole—who can say for certain?"
Su Wan immediately grasped her meaning and smiled: "The Empress Dowager is most wise!"
Early the next morning, Empress Dowager Lu removed her hairpins and donned plain mourning robes, kneeling for a long time outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, pleading her guilt with earnest words.
She wept and bitterly reproached herself for failing to teach her daughter properly, for being unworthy of the Emperor's generous treatment, and requested that she be permitted to accompany Xie Zhi to Qinglong Temple for spiritual cultivation, spending the rest of her days beside the green lamp and ancient Buddha.
This move by Empress Dowager Lu indeed moved the assembled ministers, who stepped forward one after another to speak on her behalf and plead for leniency, praising her virtue and selflessness—not one of them thought to reproach her for failing to teach her daughter.
A few ministers even hinted in their words that Xie Chongyuan's harsh punishment of Third Princess showed that all his previous deeds were mere posturing for reputation, and not genuine kindness toward the late Emperor's consorts.
Xie Chongyuan was presently occupied with the tax audit matters and truly had no time to spare for the Lu woman's hypocritical posturing. Moreover, keeping the Lu woman around was still useful for now, so he perfunctorily offered her a few words of reassurance and sent her away.
After the morning court session ended, the old ministers loyal to Empress Dowager Lu immediately spread rumors that Xie Chongyuan had severely punished the only legitimate bloodline of the late emperor in order to curry favor with his noble consort from a prestigious family—claiming he was not truly sincere in treating the late emperor's consorts well, but rather seeking fame and reputation.
These rumors quickly reached Yilan Hall.
Ming Hua's foot injury required rest these past few days, with minimal walking. When awake, she could only sit or lie on the couch, so today she slept until the sun was high in the sky before waking.
After washing up, supported by Nuanxue, she sat down at the dining table. Just as she was about to have her morning meal, she heard Qingyun, who had returned from the Imperial Kitchen with her breakfast, tell her about these rumors outside—and she was so angry she lost all appetite for breakfast.
After Qingyun dismissed the palace attendants who had set out the morning meal, she said indignantly, "I heard about the court session from Little Eunuch Li, whom I met at the Imperial Kitchen when he was fetching tea and snacks for His Majesty."
"On the way back from the Imperial Kitchen to Yilan Hall, I overheard palace attendants gossiping. I was so furious I gave them a thorough scolding!"
Ming Hua let out a cold snort, her small face puffed with anger. "Before I entered the palace, Father and Mother specifically warned me to be wary of Empress Dowager Lu. Now I truly understand how formidable she is."
"With just a few words, she can make everyone overlook Xie Zhi's evil deeds, completely absolve herself while earning everyone's praise—she truly knows how to distort right and wrong."
Nuanxue fanned Ming Hua as she mocked, "Are those old ministers at court blind? Can't they see that Empress Dowager Lu is putting on a hypocritical act?"
Ming Hua said helplessly, "It's not that no one sees through her act, but Empress Dowager Lu has long enjoyed a reputation for virtue. She is praised throughout the court and the country as a model empress dowager, with many devoted followers."
"Moreover, those old ministers have followed Empress Dowager Lu for years. They're now birds of a feather with her—grasshoppers on the same rope, seizing any opportunity to find fault with His Majesty."
As she spoke, Ming Hua suddenly thought of something, and a look of sudden realization crossed her face.
She furrowed her delicate brows and said angrily, "The rumors we heard before about His Majesty being moody and crude—I suspect those were also false rumors spread by Empress Dowager Lu to destroy His Majesty's reputation!"
"Public opinion can melt metal. If the people of the realm all believed His Majesty was such a person, then over time, His Majesty would surely lose the people's support. What a vicious method—killing without drawing blood!"
Now, thinking of how she had misunderstood Xie Chongyuan before entering the palace, Ming Hua felt a pang of guilt.
Qingyun set the slightly cooled red date and longan congee before Ming Hua and comforted her, "His Majesty is wise and valiant—he surely already has a plan to deal with this."
"Your Grace is still recovering from your injury. Please don't worry too much. Have your breakfast first—you'll need to take your medicine shortly."
Nuanxue chimed in from the side, "That's right. Since ancient times, the wicked have never come to a good end."
"His Majesty will expose Empress Dowager Lu's true face sooner or later, and when that happens, these rumors will naturally collapse on their own. Your Grace need not worry too much."
Ming Hua took the congee and ate a few listless bites, unable to taste anything. She thought of the various palace secrets Jiang Ruowei had told her before, her mind wandering.
"It's not that no one knows Empress Dowager Lu's true face—it's just that those people have little influence and no evidence, so no one dares to step forward and be the first to expose her hypocritical facade…"
Then, as if suddenly struck by an idea, she set down the white porcelain spoon and instructed, "Help me change and do my hair, then have a palanquin prepared. We're going to the North Garden to see how Ninth Princess's injuries are."
Qingyun looked puzzled and anxious, quickly trying to dissuade her: "Imperial Physician Li said yesterday that although Your Grace's foot injury is not serious, you still need to rest these two days for proper recovery."
"His Majesty already instructed the imperial physicians yesterday to treat Ninth Princess in the North Garden. You need not worry about her."
Nuanxue also urged anxiously from the side, "You were injured saving Ninth Princess—she owes you such a great debt of gratitude. She should be the one visiting you. If His Majesty learns you're not resting properly, he'll be worried and heartbroken!"
Ming Hua's expression turned serious, and she said stubbornly, "I'm going to the North Garden to ask Ninth Princess something important."
"Don't worry. After applying His Majesty's medicine yesterday, it doesn't hurt as much as it did yesterday. As long as I don't walk too far, it won't hurt. Hurry and prepare the palanquin for me!"
As always, the two could not dissuade Ming Hua, so they finally prepared the palanquin and accompanied her to the North Garden.