Only a few days after the Chrysanthemum Banquet, it was time for the Emperor’s monthly examination of the princes.
Third Prince Gui De arrived at the training ground just in time. After greeting the Crown Prince and Fourth Prince, he went to the weapons rack to get his usual long saber.
He did not expect to see someone familiar standing there.
Looking at that thin figure, Gui De began to wonder if he was seeing things.
He rubbed his eyes hard, but the person was still there.
Furious, Gui De walked over.
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be confined in Changhui Palace?”
Gui Heng acted as though he had not heard him. His eyes swept over the weapons rack. After a moment of thought, he pulled out a long spear.
“I’m talking to you, you little bastard!”
Gui De angrily stepped forward and shoved him.
“How dare you disobey even the Empress’s order? I think you—”
His shouting suddenly stopped.
The shining tip of the spear was right in front of his eyes.
If it moved forward even a little, it would pierce straight through his throat.
Gui De’s eyes widened in terror.
How was this possible?
He had not seen Gui Heng’s movement at all. Forget fighting back—he had not even had time to dodge.
Everything had happened in the blink of an eye.
“The Empress’s order,” Gui Heng repeated coldly.
The young man stood there with a face as cold as still water. He casually bent one finger and tapped the shaft of the spear.
The weapon trembled slightly, and the sharp tip moved with it, as if it might slice across Gui De’s neck at any moment.
It would probably be as easy as cutting through a sheet of paper.
Gui De lowered his eyes and stared fixedly at the spearhead. His whole body was trembling.
“Does the Empress’s order carry more weight than a single word from Princess Jiaoran?”
…
No one knew how long passed before the spear finally moved away.
Gui De finally managed to stop trembling. He stared at Gui Heng’s back, his eyes filled with hatred.
*
Gui Heng took a deep breath. Holding the long spear, he slowly stepped onto the training ground covered with hard sand.
He could feel the Emperor’s distant gaze from the high platform above them. It seemed almost tangible, filled with obvious curiosity.
Gui Heng lowered his head and gave a silent, mocking smile.
He knew what the Emperor was wondering about.
He was wondering about it too.
Everyone must be curious.
Princess Jiaoran had always looked down on him as though he were dirt beneath her feet. Why had she suddenly taken an interest in his affairs?
“Congratulations, Fifth Prince. On the eighth day of the month, you may take part in the martial examination as usual. You no longer need to remain confined.”
The eunuch who came to deliver the order spoke briefly.
A-Li had to stop him and ask, “May I ask whose decision this was?”
“Whose decision…” The eunuch hesitated. “This servant wouldn’t dare guess. I only know that Princess Jiaoran went to see His Majesty just now. Not long after that, His Majesty sent me here to inform you.”
Princess Jiaoran…
Gui Heng looked at the burly martial instructor standing in front of him.
He slowed his breathing. Holding the spear in his right hand, he rested it horizontally across his chest and slowly assumed the most ordinary starting stance.
The moment the drum sounded, the spear shot straight forward.
On the high platform, Emperor Heng narrowed his eyes.
Every movement was steady and controlled.
It was obvious that Gui Heng practiced diligently, but there was nothing remarkable about his technique. There was no overwhelming force behind it.
With skills like these…
How could he have thrust the spear straight toward Third Brother’s throat in an instant and left him completely unable to move?
Gui Heng seemed completely unaware of the Emperor’s thoughts. He continued following the spear manual, performing each movement carefully and mechanically.
He suddenly remembered the last time he had seen Princess Jiaoran.
It had been during the New Year’s Eve banquet the previous year.
Princess Jiaoran had always sat beside the Emperor and Empress, far away from him.
The two of them had never spoken to each other. He could not even remember whether they had ever truly looked at each other.
If that was the case, why had she suddenly stood up for him?
Gui Heng still remembered what had happened at the Chrysanthemum Banquet.
The little princess was so small that she barely reached his shoulder, yet she had stood in front of him like a protector.
Standing behind her, he had looked down at her.
He vaguely remembered seeing her thick, long, curled eyelashes.
Tears hung from them, and they were trembling slightly.
The wind rushed past his ears.
The martial instructor’s wooden staff suddenly swung toward him.
Gui Heng raised his head.
In the blink of an eye, his eyes met the instructor’s.
He clearly saw a flash of malice in the man’s eyes.
Bang!
The wooden staff struck the shaft of the spear with great force.
Gui Heng stumbled and staggered several steps backward before finally regaining his balance.
From the high platform, it looked as though his reaction had been too slow. He had failed to raise his spear in time and had been knocked back by the instructor.
Gui De finally breathed a sigh of relief. His excitement was obvious.
“Father, look! I told you Fifth Brother isn’t capable!”
“If he isn’t capable, how did he nearly kill you in the weapons store?”
The Emperor shot him a sideways glance.
Gui De immediately fell silent.
“Call Fifth Prince over. The martial examination will continue.”
*
Gui Heng casually set down the long spear and walked toward the inner hall, ignoring the various looks from his brothers along the way.
The Emperor was reclining on a couch, studying a chess record. He acted as though he had not noticed Gui Heng enter.
Gui Heng silently bowed.
He said nothing more, simply lowering his gaze and standing quietly, as though he had decided to turn himself into a statue.
“I am very disappointed in you.”
After a long silence, the Emperor finally spoke.
Gui Heng said nothing and silently knelt on the floor.
Emperor Heng lowered his head and stared at his youngest son.
Even while kneeling, Gui Heng’s back and shoulders remained straight. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, clearly showing the strong features of the Gui family.
But…
Even though all his black hair was tied up beneath a silver crown, the natural curl of his hair could still be seen.
And then there were his eyes.
During the martial examination, that hint of purple had been especially clear beneath the bright sunlight.
The Emperor suddenly looked away.
When he spoke again, his voice was even harder.
“I know what happened at the Chrysanthemum Banquet a few days ago.”
“Yes.”
Gui Heng answered quietly.
“You have nothing else to say?”
Emperor Heng stared at him.
Gui Heng shook his head calmly.
“Good. Very good.”
Clack.
A jade chess piece landed heavily on the chessboard.
“You hid a needle inside your clothing with the intention of harming your elder brother. Your intentions were dishonorable, and your methods were especially vile.”
“How did I end up with a son like you?”
Gui Heng kept his head lowered.
The Emperor could not see his expression. He only heard his calm, steady voice.
“That cloak was newly made. I had not even had a chance to wear it before Third Imperial Brother took it from me. As for why there was a needle inside, I truly don’t know.”
The Emperor stared at him and laughed twice.
“Fine. You never wore it, so you don’t know.”
“Then I suppose the person who made the clothing must know.”
Gui Heng suddenly raised his head.
“Father, Noble Consort Yan is my birth mother. She absolutely could not—”
“Why couldn’t she?”
The Emperor glanced at him and slowly placed the chess pieces back into their container one by one.
“It isn’t the first time.”
For an instant, Gui Heng felt all the blood in his body rush upward.
His vision turned black in waves.
He stared desperately at the figure dressed in bright yellow.
After a moment, he slowly bent forward.
“Although I never tried the cloak on, I did wash it once. At that time, I didn’t find any needle. That needle… must have been placed there by one of my servants when they altered the clothing because the size was not right. It was definitely not something Noble Consort Yan did intentionally.”
“Intentional or not, she is a mother who doesn’t even know her own son’s measurements. She can’t even make a piece of clothing in the right size. What kind of mother is that?”
The Emperor’s tone was completely matter-of-fact.
It was as though he did not know that Noble Consort Yan had not seen her son for years.
As though it were perfectly natural for the clothing she had made for her son to be taken away by someone else.
Gui Heng lowered his head.
His fingers slowly tightened into fists inside his sleeves.
“That aside, people from foreign lands are uncivilized. I don’t expect much from her. As long as she knows her place, that is enough.”
The Emperor suddenly changed the subject.
“But you are my own son. You had the strongest body among the princes when you were young. How is it that after practicing martial arts for all these years, you still only know the Eighteen Yanzhang Forms?”
“Where did all those years of training go? Into a dog’s belly?”
The Emperor lowered his voice, almost speaking to himself.
“All that effort Jiaojiao went through, coming personally to… plead for you.”
Gui Heng’s sleeve trembled slightly.
He acted as though he had heard nothing.
He remained stiffly kneeling on the floor.
“Leave.”
The Emperor became irritated by his unresponsive attitude and waved his hand impatiently.
Gui Heng bowed once more and stood up.
Emperor Heng turned his head and no longer looked at him.
“Pass on my order.”
“Noble Consort Yan of Xuanyan Hall is confined to the palace and shows no sign of repentance. She has neither the affection of a mother nor any sense of guilt or remorse.”
“Reduce all her palace allowances by half and observe her conduct from now on.”
In the empty main hall, the Emperor’s cold voice was exceptionally clear.
Gui Heng lowered his head.
His eyes were impossible to read.
He bowed and slowly backed away, then quietly left the inner hall.
*
Jiaojiao was leaning against a cushion, half asleep.
A pale lavender silk cloth covered her eyes, and her breathing was soft and even.
Beside her, Cuixue was cracking walnuts. The faint rustling sound made the afternoon feel especially peaceful.
Someone outside seemed to be hurrying into the room.
Jiaojiao was a light sleeper. After hearing the person exchange a few words with Yuqiu, she was already awake.
She pulled the silk cloth away and gave a small yawn.
“Well? Was it delivered?”
Yuqiu hurried inside to report.
“Your Highness, the clothes have already been delivered. The Fifth Prince’s side received them as well. However, His Highness wasn’t there. One of the servants from his palace accepted them.”
Jiaojiao hummed.
“I know. Today is the eighth. Father is examining the princes’ literary and martial skills.”
She did not know whether her plea had worked.
Hopefully, Father would not punish him again.
A tyrant was not born that way.
There was always a reason behind how a person’s character changed.
Jiaojiao did not want Gui Heng to suffer another shock that might push him further down that path.
After thinking about it, she still felt uneasy.
“Go to the training ground and find out what happened.”
Yuqiu obeyed and left.
A short while later, Cuixue had finished peeling a small plate of walnuts.
The white, tender kernels were arranged neatly on a celadon plate.
Jiaojiao picked them up one by one and ate them.
Her fingers were soft and pale from years of being carefully pampered. Beside the white walnut kernels, the faint pink at her fingertips made them look even more delicate and lively.
Seeing how happily she was eating, Cuixue had someone bring more hazelnuts and pine nuts.
As she peeled them, she smiled.
“Your Highness seems to have a much better appetite after recovering from your injuries.”
Although Cuixue was newly assigned to serve Jiaojiao, she had memorized all of Princess Jiaoran’s likes and dislikes from Aunt Du on the very first day.
At the time, she had been terrified.
She had been afraid that one careless mistake would cause this temperamental princess to beat her to death.
Unexpectedly, after waking up, the princess was easier to serve than every other master Cuixue had ever met.
Such a gentle and beautiful princess…
The people in the palace had certainly exaggerated things when they talked about her.
Jiaojiao smiled brightly.
“That’s because you peel them so well. That’s why I like eating them.”
Cuixue smiled and poured her a cup of milk tea so that the nuts would not make her throat too dry.
Jiaojiao had almost finished half the plate of nuts when the person she had sent to investigate finally returned.
It was Yuqiu, accompanied by Aunt Du.
“I am familiar with the instructor at the training ground, so I went with her,” Aunt Du explained.
After hearing about Gui Heng’s performance, Jiaojiao became even more suspicious that he was deliberately hiding his abilities.
The long spear was the tyrant’s usual weapon.
When he was young, he could wield it with astonishing speed and power. Before ascending the throne, he had used a silver spear to charge into the enemy commander’s tent three times during a rebellion, becoming famous throughout the realm.
That achievement later became an important source of political support when he took the throne.
So how could it be that after she transmigrated into this world, he could not even defeat a palace martial instructor?
Jiaojiao asked, “Did Father punish him?”
Aunt Du shook her head.
“He didn’t say anything at the time. After the martial examination, His Majesty called the Fifth Prince into the inner hall and spoke with him for a while. When His Highness came out, he looked fine.”
Jiaojiao felt somewhat relieved.
She pushed the celadon plate forward.
“Auntie, have some too.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Aunt Du’s wrinkled face seemed to bloom with a smile.
She took two hazelnuts.
Looking at Jiaojiao’s happy little face, Aunt Du went over the words she wanted to say several times before finally choosing them carefully.
“Your Highness is filial to His Majesty, spends time with him, and treats your brothers with affection. All of that is very good.”
“But as for Noble Consort Roujia…”
Jiaojiao understood what she was trying to say.
She slowly swallowed her milk tea and suddenly became afraid to look into Aunt Du’s eyes.
But Aunt Du eventually continued.
“The most important thing in the palace is for people to support one another. The fact that you and Noble Consort Roujia, mother and daughter, are so distant from each other is not a good thing.”
Jiaojiao understood that very well.
But she did not know what to say.
She only answered in a tiny voice.
“Oh.”
The palace servants fell silent.
Seeing Aunt Du’s expression, Cuixue also stopped what she was doing.
After a long while, Jiaojiao raised her head and looked at Aunt Du.
“When I was injured and unconscious a few days ago, did Mother come to see me?”
Aunt Du sighed.
“She came with His Majesty.”
In other words, unless she needed to accompany the Emperor, Noble Consort Roujia did not care whether her only daughter lived or died.
As if afraid that Jiaojiao would be hurt by this, Yuqiu quickly added,
“Noble Consort was also feeling unwell a few days ago. Otherwise, perhaps she would have…”
Her voice trailed off when she saw the expression on Jiaojiao’s face.
She could not bring herself to finish.
Aunt Du waved her hand and spoke quietly.
“When the princess was younger, you often argued with Noble Consort. Over time, the relationship between you naturally became distant.”
She paused.
“Now that Your Highness has become much more sensible, this servant thinks you should visit her more often. You are mother and daughter. Surely there is no problem that cannot be resolved.”
Jiaojiao had only recently recovered from a serious injury, and her personality had become much gentler.
Aunt Du had watched her carefully for several days before finally daring to give her this advice.
If the princess still had her old temper, Aunt Du would never have dared to say such things.
Jiaojiao did not say anything for a long time.
She slowly put down her cup and covered her forehead, looking as though she were struggling to think.
After a while, she raised her head.
Her expression was difficult to describe. She looked helpless and confused at the same time.
“I understand. Auntie, please send word to Mother. I’ll go visit her later.”
Aunt Du finally relaxed.
She happily left the room, reminding Cuixue and Yuqiu to redo the princess’s hair and change her clothes.
Jiaojiao rinsed her mouth and sat before the dressing table.
She stared at the gloomy face reflected in the bronze mirror and desperately tried to suppress the panic rising inside her.
She finally understood the consequence of abandoning the novel too early.
Back then, she had only read as far as the tyrant ascending the throne.
She had not waited for the author to explain in detail how he later investigated the palace and uncovered the secrets surrounding his rise to power.
Therefore, she had never learned the truth behind all those bloody palace struggles.
But now, those struggles were directly connected to whether she would live or die.
It was indeed strange that Noble Consort Roujia was so distant from her own daughter.
But what frightened Jiaojiao most was that she had absolutely no idea…
How had the truth that Princess Jiaoran was not the Emperor’s biological daughter eventually been exposed?