"Fine, you dare laugh at me? I'll scratch your mouth off!" Jinyun jumped around, laughing as he chased after Chengyi. Weiyu sat on the cool couch on the other side, listening to the surging seawater. The tide was coming in, and the coolness was getting stronger. Watching Chengyi and Jinyun flitting about like butterflies, she couldn't help but smile.
That's it, why should she be so persistent? Let the future decide. Tianchi's affection is deeply cherished by this child. She is lucky enough to have the love of an emperor. Here, she can also fulfill her ideals and follow in her parents' footsteps. What difference does it make where she is? Having this part of her life is enough to reminisce about. Tomorrow, Prince Rui will go to the Summer Palace for an audience. Tianchi's political affairs have also come to an end. Starting tomorrow, there will be a grand banquet and rewards at the Summer Palace. Let her add to the splendor.
Seeing how happy she was, Zi Yi wanted to stop Cheng Yi, but she swallowed her words and just smiled, letting them fool around.
From afar, the laughter startled a group of people. Lin Yuzhen and Qiu Linglong, along with palace maids, walked towards Tingtao Pavilion. Among them was a young woman wearing a pink thin blouse and a long vermilion silk skirt embroidered with peonies. Her breasts and rounded jade arms were almost spilling out. She asked curiously, "Who is that?" As she spoke, her jade hairpin swayed gently with the rise and fall of her breasts, her figure extremely alluring.
Lin Yuzhen curled her lip and said sourly, "Who else could it be but the palace maids under the Imperial Concubine? Who else would dare to be so presumptuous in the palace?"
"Is that so? I have long admired the virtuous reputation of the Imperial Concubine. It's such a coincidence that I'm here today. Would you two be so kind as to introduce me?" The woman in red was Xu Pingliu, the daughter of the deceased king of Xu. Last winter, she had come to court with her father and met Emperor Xuande once. She fell in love at first sight and thought herself incredibly beautiful, but was rejected. A few days ago, she was escorted here by Liu Chuang with her clan. Ying Tianchi had enfeoffed her father as the Earl of Shunying, and they were both in the Summer Palace at the time. Xu Pingliu had bribed Lin Yuzhen and Qiu Linglong with money and silk, and she still longed for Emperor Xuande. Today, she used the excuse of visiting Qiu and Lin to ask them to enjoy the scenery in the pavilion, secretly hoping to have an encounter with the emperor. She had heard that the emperor doted on the Imperial Concubine, and with the Imperial Concubine here, she might just bump into her. This was another opportunity. She firmly believed that as long as the emperor saw her beautiful face, he would surely bestow his favor upon her.
Her lecherous expression was obvious to everyone, and Qiu Linglong felt disgusted. She only accompanied her to the garden for the sake of the jewelry. How could such a person be so delusional? It was said that she had already offered herself to Prince Rui when Xu County fell. She was truly shameless.
Then Lin Yuzhen said, "Great! I was just thinking of going to Tingtao Pavilion anyway. It's perfect that the Imperial Concubine is here. Let's go over and pay our respects."
Qiu Linglong frowned. She didn't want to be inferior to others for no reason. But then she thought that Lin Yuzhen was still resentful, so it would be good to give her an opportunity. Xu Pingliu was ambitious, so the Song family would have another enemy. Even if something happened, it wouldn't affect her. It would be perfect to let these two be the scapegoats. So she smiled and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking too."
As the group approached, the guests were enjoying melons. Upon seeing them, the head eunuch bowed respectfully and stopped them, saying, "Please wait, Your Highnesses."
Lin Yuzhen saw the watermelon on the stone table, still steaming cold, and a surge of jealousy rose in her heart. Even the servants had something to eat, while they only got a small plate when there were guests, not even enough to fill a gap between their teeth. She gritted her teeth and forced a smile, saying, "Qiu Jieyu and I were accompanying the daughter of the Earl of Shunying when we passed by Tingtao Pavilion and saw the Imperial Concubine here, so we came to pay our respects."
"This servant will report back and ask the two Consorts to wait a moment."
Wei Yu listened, pondered for a moment, and said, "Zi Yi, go and invite them up." She couldn't expect Ying Tianchi to disband the harem for her; it was a problem that had existed for over a thousand years. After all, these people were also innocent. As the emperor's women, although they enjoyed a life of luxury in the palace, their beauty had faded before their favor was restored. This was not something she could control, but it was certainly not their fault either. All she could do was show some goodwill and not embarrass them.
The three came up, and Jinyun stood up. Before she could even bow, she said, "There's no need for such formalities in the Summer Palace." Qiu and Lin then performed a squatting bow, and Xu Pingliu knelt down sweetly, "This humble servant, Xu, greets Your Highness, may Your Highness be well."
"Please rise, Miss Xu is a guest, please sit down." Wei Yu smiled.
Ziyi and Chengyi had already cleaned up the fruit peels and rinds on the table, washed the jade cups again, and filled the ice pot with fruit syrup.
Xu Pingliu bowed slightly to accept the wine, took a sip, and found it indeed refreshing. She glanced at the woman without speaking, noticing that she wore a lake-blue soft silk robe, a matching long skirt that trailed on the ground, and a moon-white thin floral shawl. Two jade hairpins held her black hair in place, one end of which was adorned with white gold diamonds. As a former princess, she naturally knew these were priceless treasures. She thought to herself, "This noble concubine is merely pretty; how can she compare to my stunning beauty and enviable figure? These hairpins and this soft silk robe are more suitable for me."
Lin Yuzhen's anger flared as soon as she entered the room, seeing the golden cups and jade dishes on the table. She glanced at Jinyun, the girl who used to run away faster than rabbits, now standing arrogantly behind Weiyu, having climbed the social ladder. She couldn't muster a smile. Seeing the awkward silence, Qiu Linglong quickly and respectfully said, "Is Your Majesty feeling much better? It's been so long since I've paid my respects; I've been thinking of you." She gave her a cold look, remaining impassive.
"Thank you, Qiu Jieyu, I feel much better." Wei Yu didn't know what to talk to them about, so she politely offered them tea.
At this moment, the waves surged, one after another crashing against the rocks, splashing like shattered jade. Although Jinyun had seen it several times, she still exclaimed in surprise. The group turned around at the same time, their hearts pounding, speechless. They saw the boundless sea, which had been calm and gentle like a mirror just moments before, now surging and crashing. In the distance, the waves rose and fell like towering mountains rushing westward, or like ten thousand horses turning in circles. Today was the high tide, and the magnificence and surging power of it was truly a sight to behold. "Nature's masterpiece!" she thought, thinking that the Qiantang River tide could compare. That year, her uncle had taken her to Hangzhou, also near the Mid-Autumn Festival. Her uncle had taken her to Xiaoshan to watch the tide. It seemed like only yesterday. She couldn't help but feel sad. Although she had made her decision, she and her uncle were now separated by death.
A gust of wind blew by, causing everyone to sway slightly, their hair flying, and a jade cup overturned. The woman in purple on her right steadied Wei Yu, saying, "Your Highness, please step back." They had unknowingly reached the edge of the pavilion. Suddenly, Wei Yu felt her stomach churn, a wave of nausea rising within her. She tried to cover her mouth with her hand, but it was too late; she vomited loudly onto Lin Yuzhen's right sleeve to her left. Everyone in the pavilion was startled. Lin Yuzhen smelled terrible. The woman in purple quickly called for Cheng Yi to bring a cloth. Xu Pingliu, a thought already forming in her mind, blurted out, "Are you pregnant?"
The shout was like a thunderclap, leaving everyone stunned. Zi Yi, Cheng Yi, and Jin Yun looked at Wei Yu with surprise and joy. Qiu Linglong, behind Lin Yuzhen, gritted her teeth in hatred. She deliberately stepped on Lin Yuzhen, and Lin Yuzhen's anger surged. She forcefully pushed away the handkerchief that Wei Yu had handed her. Wei Yu stumbled forward, and everyone gasped. In that split second, Lin Yuzhen's evil nature was aroused, and she even became vicious. She stretched out her hands and pushed with all her might, shouting, "Go to hell!"
All of this happened in an instant, a sudden turn of events. Zi Yi had never anticipated this. Cheng Yi was still by the dining table getting another handkerchief, and Wei Yu hadn't expected that there was only a low railing by the pavilion. She was suddenly lifted off the railing. Even though Zi Yi reacted quickly, rushing to grab it, her floral robe ripped with a hiss, and she plummeted straight down, disappearing into the sea with a splash. Zi Yi jumped after her, a wave crashing over her. Ignoring the pain, she frantically grabbed at the waves, tumbling and rolling, but there was no sign of Wei Yu. She wasn't a strong swimmer and couldn't dive, but at that moment, she didn't care. She closed her eyes and dived into the sea, searching. Then she heard a splash. She quickly looked up, gasping for breath. It was Cheng Yi! Zi Yi... Tears streamed down her face in desperation. "Quick, quick, search!" Chengyi dove into the water and didn't surface for a long time. Ziyi felt like she had waited for an eternity. Seeing her shake her head, she wanted to dive in again without thinking. Chengyi grabbed her arm. "Sister, your arm is bleeding. You can't hold on. Let me go." Ziyi then realized that her clothes were stained with blood. She cried, "How can the young lady bear this? What if she's pregnant..." Ziyi was so terrified that she couldn't speak. Her teeth chattered. Chengyi went back into the water and swam forward, but the wind and waves were too strong, making it difficult to move forward. Several times she was almost swept away by the waves. Chengyi thought, "It's over. The young lady must have been swept away. She's probably in grave danger."
At this moment, a sharp wailing sound rang out from the Summer Palace. The two looked up and saw dozens of skilled naval soldiers jump down from the embankment and pavilions with a few splashes. One of them shouted, "Ladies, hurry up, His Majesty has something to ask you." The two agreed and swam towards the shore, already exhausted by the time they reached the embankment.
Just as Ziyi and Chengyi jumped into the sea to save people, chaos erupted inside the pavilion. Qiu Linglong, not expecting Lin Yuzhen to be so audacious, screamed in fright. Xu Pingliu, startled and then delighted, pretended to faint and leaned against the dumbfounded Jinyun. Jinyun, regaining her senses, pushed her away in disgust. Hearing the commotion, the guards in the pavilion rushed over. Jinyun, being a princess, quickly calmed down and ordered the guards to rush to the Qin Zheng Hall to report the news. She ordered the remaining guards to tie up Lin Yuzhen and keep an eye on Qiu Linglong and Xu Pingliu. The two cried out their innocence. Jinyun walked to the railing and looked down, only to see Ziyi and Chengyi's heads thronging below. Her legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground, bursting into tears.
Several figures leaped up, and Ying Tianchi's face turned pale. He rushed to the railing and saw the waves churning below. "Wei Yu!" he roared, about to jump, but Gao Qing and Heng Chong, who were prepared, grabbed him from either side. "Your Majesty, you mustn't!" "Your Majesty, we have already dispatched skilled naval officers to go down. Please calm down." "Xi Men and Zheng Song have already mobilized the fleet for the salvage operation." He kicked him. "Get out of my way! I want to go down and save her myself." Heng Chong winced in pain but dared not let go. "Your Majesty, the waves are very high now. Going down will not help. It will only add to the burden of the rescue." Ying Tianchi slumped down in despair.
Jinyun knelt down beside him and cried out, "Father!" Tears streamed down his face.
Ying Tianchi waved his hand and sat down on the cool couch. The couch still had a faint fragrance, and he could imagine that his beloved had been admiring the scenery here just moments before. He couldn't help but feel a pang of pain. These past few days, he had been busy with state affairs and hadn't had a proper meal with her. The only time he had done so was when she mentioned the prevention of plague in the disaster area, and he left halfway through the meal and hurriedly went to the Hall of Diligent Governance.
"Speak." His deep voice lashed at everyone's heart like a whip, even making Gao Qing and Heng Chong, who had experienced much, shiver. Qiu Linglong and Xu Pingliu knelt to the side, their minds blank, only trembling.
Jinyun recounted the story in a halting manner. Ying Tianchi listened without saying a word for a long time. Gao Qing and Heng Chong secretly lamented that this disaster was far greater. The Imperial Concubine might be pregnant with the Emperor's child, but her life was uncertain. It was impossible to simply confiscate the Xue family's property like last time; bloodshed was truly about to splatter throughout the palace.
At this moment, someone brought Zi Yi and Cheng Yi. Zi Yi tore off a piece of silk cloth and roughly bandaged the wound. She and Cheng Yi put on an outer robe, knelt down, and said, "This servant deserves to die." She then burst into tears.
"Will there be bloodstains in the sea after you go down?" Ying Tianchi's rationality was chilling.
"No, I was just panicking and bumped into her. The waves were huge, and in the blink of an eye, Your Highness was gone."
"Is she—is she pregnant?" he asked calmly.
"This servant is not sure, Your Highness has not given a clear answer yet..." The woman in purple could not bring herself to say the words "fell into the sea".
The pavilion was silent for a long time. "Jinyun, is that right?" This was the first time Ying Tianchi had looked at his daughter properly and called her by name. Unfortunately, Jinyun was filled with sorrow and tears. "You two," he said, pointing to Ziyi and Chengyi, "you two help the eldest princess down to rest."
After the three left, Ying Tianchi turned to Lin Yuzhen, who was slumped on the ground, and asked in a low voice, "Why?"
Lin Yuzhen seemed to have gone mad. She laughed shrilly, "Why? Your Majesty, haha, you ask a good question, hahaha..." Tears streamed down her face. "You don't know how miserable and unbearable it is for a woman to live every night under the lonely lamp, listening to the drumbeats and counting the cold stars. It's not a life for a human being. I killed her. I'm not afraid of death. The people in the six palaces will thank me. I gave them a way out."
"A way out?" Ying Tianchi said slowly, "You're absolutely right." Everyone trembled with fear; his voice was icy and chilling. "A good way out!"
Lin Yuzhen's face turned deathly pale. It seemed that only now did she realize that the person in front of her was a cold-blooded emperor. Her lips turned blue, and she trembled as she said, "I will take responsibility for my own actions. If you have any problems, come at me." She was still stubborn.
Ying Tianchi said to Gao Qing, "Issue an imperial decree to send the concubines back to the capital. Except for those with children, all the others shall be sent to the Ci'en Temple to be ordained as female Taoist nuns and supported according to regulations. I will deal with them after I return to the capital."
A collective gasp filled the room. His Majesty actually intended to dissolve the harem. According to the imperial system, married women in the common people could request a divorce, and noble families could request to become female Taoist priests. They could later return to secular life and seek a good marriage again. In the palace, concubines who had made mistakes or were trying to avoid trouble could be given some dignity and could request to live in the Ci'en Temple, but they could not return to secular life after becoming nuns.
Qiu Linglong was heartbroken and terrified, yet unwilling to accept her fate. She crawled a few steps, pleading, "Your Majesty, sob... I haven't done anything wrong! I don't want to become a female Taoist priest, sob..."
"Shut up," Ying Tianchi sneered. "You don't need to be a female Taoist." Qiu Linglong stopped crying. "You had malicious intentions, but someone else did it for you. Qiu is demoted to a commoner and sent to the palace to be strictly controlled. Drag her away." Two burly dragon cavalry captains grabbed Qiu Linglong's limp body and dragged her out while she cried out.
Lin Yuzhen was terrified and trembled all over.
"By imperial decree, the Qiu family shall have their property confiscated and be exiled to Liaoxi for labor service, with no possibility of redemption except by a general amnesty. The Lin family shall be exiled three thousand li, their property confiscated, including their burial grounds, and shall be allowed to live only by begging, remaining as lowly people for life. Local officials shall be ordered to oversee them, and if any escapees are found, I will hold them accountable."
"No, no, no, please don't! You can't issue an order! Please, please don't!" Lin Yuzhen struggled with her bound arms, tears and snot streaming down her face, her voice hoarse and desperate.
Being a commoner for life meant being forbidden from marrying ordinary people. If a gentry or official took a woman as a wife or concubine, they would be punished the same way. Beautiful women among the commoners often became prostitutes or concubines, living in a miserable state. Their punishment was worse than that of exterminating an entire family; they were worse off than dead! How could Lin Yuzhen not be heartbroken and burst into tears?
"The Lin family," Ying Tianchi said, each word distinct and his face contorted with rage, "harmed the Imperial Concubine, injured the legitimate son, was stripped of his title and reduced to commoner status, and was sentenced to be mutilated like a pig."
Everyone was shocked. Lin Yuzhen's cries were abruptly cut off. She tried to bite her tongue to commit suicide, but Ying Tianchi flicked his finger, and her jaw stiffened, rendering her immobile. The cruelty of the "pig punishment" was so horrifying that even Gao Qing and Heng Chong were chilled to the bone. It could be traced back to a form of torture used in the imperial palace more than a thousand years ago, involving the cutting off of limbs, mutilating ears, gouging out eyes, and cutting out the tongue. Later emperors considered it too cruel and contrary to sacred virtue, and ordered its prohibition. "His Majesty has truly gone mad," the two exclaimed inwardly.