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Emperor Xuande issued a strict decree to seal off the area, but rumors spread like wildfire. Some said that the assassin had injured the Consort, some said that the Consort had been kidnapped, and some said that the Consort had disappeared. The people who made these claims had evidence to back them up. The Imperial Guards were mobilized in full force, ostensibly to search for the assassin, but in reality, they were looking for the Consort.
But when Emperor Xuande arrived at Chengqian Palace that night as usual, everyone inside and outside the palace fell silent. After the lanterns were lit, no one dared to discuss the affairs of the royal family. The palace was filled with trepidation and heavy security. Emperor Xuande's anger made the entire inner palace tremble. Consort Zhou, seeing the assassin captured and frantically returning to the palace, was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. She secretly went to Xingqing Palace to request an audience, but was refused entry. She returned to Changsheng Palace, her heart pounding with fear. She ordered the palace maids to set up an incense table and murmured prayers all night.
Late at night, the west wing of Chengqian Palace was brightly lit. Purple-robed, light-clothed, and five-tiered female officials knelt on the floor. Emperor Xuande sat on a short couch, coldly staring at the enamel incense burner before him, which was now tightly sealed. The air in the room was stifling, almost suffocating. The palace maids and eunuchs standing outside held their breath. Just moments before, Hengchong had been ordered to interrogate the assassins. Emperor Xuande had said, "Make them talk. Do you know what to do?" The cruelty and ruthlessness in his tone sent chills down the spines of everyone present.
Gao Qing quietly entered, bowed, and handed over a scroll. Emperor Xuande opened it; it contained the confessions of the Xue family father and son, the bloodstains on the signatures still lingering. Emperor Xuande glanced at it, gripped the scroll, and his veins bulged. "Any news about Ximen?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, there has been no news yet," Gao Qing replied.
“Go tell Ximen, search high and low to find her. The longer the Ice Soul in her body is delayed, the more dangerous it becomes. If the poison takes effect, she might still be in that alley. Tell Ximen to go there and search every alley one by one.” He clenched his fist, unable to believe that Weiyu would abandon him. Yes, she abandoned him. He looked at Gao Qing with a moment of pain and vulnerability. Gao Qing was startled, but when he looked again, he was still cold and stern. “Go to Hengchong’s place and see if there is any progress.”
"Yes." Gao Qing withdrew, sighing deeply. Too much had happened tonight.
It turned out that while they were watching the lanterns, four palace maids from Chengqian Palace suddenly ran towards the west side room as if possessed while the imperial physician was taking their pulses. They couldn't be stopped and even bumped into several palace maids and eunuchs who tried to pull them away. Ziyi saw that something was wrong and it seemed like they had been poisoned. The imperial physician only diagnosed that they all had a fever and couldn't say anything else. Ziyi remembered that Hengchong was a master of poison and incense making in the world, so she hurriedly asked the Dragon Cavalry Captain to find Gao Qing and Hengchong and tell them what had happened. Gao Qing was shocked when he heard this and hurriedly reported to Emperor Xuande. That's why Weiyu saw that Emperor Xuande's face was very ugly. Gao Qing and Hengchong accepted the order and used their lightness skills to quickly enter the palace, so they didn't hear the commotion.
In Chengqian Palace, Heng Chong carefully examined the odor and smelled a strange smell from the incense burner on the right side of the desk. Combining the description in purple with the symptoms of the sick palace maid, he was immediately terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. This was the Ice Soul Poison. The Embroidered Uniform Guard had once sent him some information: this poison is colorless and has an extremely faint, almost undetectable smell. It can take a person's life invisibly. It was secretly made by a cult in Zhu Zi Kingdom. Because the raw materials are extremely difficult to cultivate, it is a rare commodity and is sold at a high price to raise money for a comeback. Upon hearing this, Gao Qing and Zi Yi simultaneously thought of Xue Ruyao, who had visited the west wing ten days ago, and her inexplicable fever. The four palace maids had been serving in the west wing for the past ten days. So, the Imperial Concubine... Heng Chong also thought of the mistress of this room. All three of them changed color at the same time. Gao Qing disregarded the festive occasion and immediately used a signal that could only be released in emergencies. In fact, Emperor Xuande was in the alley. Upon seeing the signal, he knew that something urgent had happened and ordered Liu Chuang to continue the search. He returned to Chengqian Palace first. Gao Qing saw that Emperor Xuande was alone and secretly asked him. He learned that something had happened after they left. He was extremely surprised. Upon hearing the reports from the three men, Emperor Xuande's face darkened. He ordered Ximen Yixiao to lead the Tiger Guards in a thorough search of the city, and ordered Gao Qing to quickly join forces with the Embroidered Uniform Guards to infiltrate the Xue family and extract a confession through torture. He also ordered Heng Chong to interrogate the mastermind behind the assassins, his tone cold and ruthless, every word filled with murderous intent. Everyone mourned for those who had been so reckless as to have provoked a fierce tiger into a frenzy.
Gazing at the night sky, Gao Qing prayed, "Ximen, please find the Imperial Concubine quickly. Perhaps only she can stop the Emperor's murderous aura. If we are too late, what will happen to the Imperial Concubine..." He shuddered, not daring to imagine any further. The Emperor's wrath could not be vented by shedding blood for miles.
A captain came over and whispered a few words in his ear. Gao Qing snorted, "Looking for death, lock him up." It turned out that Hong Da had been caught peeking around under the Jinshui Bridge.
Gao Qing finished writing the scroll and personally released the night pigeon. The pigeon circled twice in mid-air before flying into the darkness with a coo. Just as he was about to take a step, he saw Heng Chong striding towards him. Heng Chong, who usually had a childlike smile, looked murderous. Gao Qing was startled. Heng Chong walked to his side and whispered a single word: "Zhou".
Despite having some premonition, Gao Qing's heart sank. A mere imperial concubine had implicated the Zhou and Xue families. He shook his head, unable to comprehend such a foolish act. Greed had blinded them, leading them to hastily dig their own graves. The Emperor had long intended to suppress several troublesome powerful families, but given the current situation, it was likely more than just suppression. The Xue family was doomed. As for the Zhou family, whom the Emperor had always deeply resented, their continued presence in the capital was somewhat due to familial ties. But this time, the Zhou family was doomed. For both public and private reasons, the Emperor would not easily let it go. However, the Zhou family was, after all, the Emperor's maternal clan. If bloodshed were to occur, it would violate filial piety and damage the Emperor's virtue. His only hope was that the imperial concubine could return safely to the palace; perhaps then the Emperor would be distracted, offering a temporary respite and room for maneuver. Otherwise, the consequences of the Emperor's wrath would be unimaginable.
"Why did she do that?" Heng Chong walked to the front of Chengqian Palace. He had never set foot in the inner palace before tonight. "Isn't the emperor's favor enough?"
Gao Qing glared at him. "Don't talk nonsense. Don't you think it's too oppressive inside?" As they walked in, Gao Qing sighed. He had noticed a deep melancholy about the Consort when she was alone. He thought that even if a woman had a thousand reasons not to, she should have been moved by the Emperor's favor. It was an unprecedented favor. Yet she still acted so unexpectedly. She was the favorite of all the concubines. Once a prince was born, the Empress's position would be hers for sure. Such great favor would have made other concubines grateful. But this Consort was no ordinary woman. The Emperor had already fallen in love, while she was still oblivious.
The side room was deathly silent. Heng Chong glanced sympathetically at the kneeling purple-clad figures. The two bowed and stood respectfully with their hands at their sides, remaining silent in the stillness. Gao Qing suddenly became worried again. How would the Emperor deal with the Consort now? What if his anger was directed at her? Could the delicate Consort withstand it?
"Was it the work of the owner of Shengye Workshop?" Emperor Xuande asked coldly, as if to confirm.
When the Zhou family was at its most arrogant, they occupied most of the property in Shengye Lane, and they still live there today.
"Yes, Zhou Wenyuan was the mastermind."
"Very well," Emperor Xuande said gently, "Gao Qing, is there any forgiveness for plotting to assassinate the emperor?"
Gao Qing knelt down, head bowed, not daring to answer. The Emperor's anger was about to explode; this was tantamount to exterminating his entire clan. Cold sweat immediately soaked his body. He had only witnessed such fury once or twice before the Emperor assumed power.
A shooting star flashed by, startling everyone in the room. A night pigeon cooed, and Gao Qing, disregarding etiquette, leaped up and returned in a flash, carrying the pigeon. He plucked a tiny bamboo section from the pigeon's leg, pulled out a scroll, and knelt to present it to Emperor Xuande. Emperor Xuande unfolded it, and it read: "The person has been found, but has fainted from poisoning. We request your decree."
Upon seeing the words "fainted," the Xuande Emperor felt a pang of pain in his heart. He abruptly stood up and shouted, "What decree? Send her to..." He was about to utter the words "Chengqian Palace" when he suddenly realized his imperial authority had vanished. He changed his mind, "Send her to the palace maids..." He couldn't bring himself to say the last word, "the slanted palace maids' quarters." The slanted palace maids' quarters were a place of imprisonment for convicted concubines and palace maids, a place of utter darkness. How could he bear to send Weiyu there? She was his beloved. His face turned ashen, while Gao Qing secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He offered a step, "Your Majesty, the Empress is ill. If we go too late, it might be..." Before he could finish speaking, Emperor Xuande strode out of the palace gate. "Gao Qing, tell Ximen to wait where he is. He must not disturb the Imperial Concubine." As he spoke, he was already outside Chengqian Gate. Heng Chong immediately followed. Gao Qing turned to look at Rong Shanggong, "Everyone, you've all suffered a little. This is nothing. Tonight's events are all locked up. Anyone who fails to comply will lose their life." A storm was brewing in the palace.
In the dead-end alley of Chongrenfang, only the torch in Ximen Yixiao's hand illuminated the thick darkness, providing a sliver of light. Four Tiger Guards faced outwards, holding brocade curtains, forming a tight barrier around the corner. The five men stood ramrod straight, silent, their eeriness startling. Soon, soft footsteps approached. Ximen Yixiao knelt on one knee, and the man took the torch, saying, "Go."
There was only one person left in the alley—no, there was also a woman. She leaned quietly against the corner of the wall, her face flushed with an unusual blush, her breathing slightly uneven, her eyes tightly closed. The man walked to her side, the firelight dancing on her beautiful face. He knelt down, his hand slowly and hesitantly touching her delicate cheek, the touch burning his palm. He sighed softly, his heart surrendering. The torment of the past few hours had certainly fueled his anger, but it had also made him realize something. He extinguished the torch, loosened his arms, picked her up, and held her tightly in his embrace, as if she were a precious treasure.
The person in his arms snuggled closer to him, mumbling, "Why is it so late?"
He was stunned, frozen in place.
The first time he heard it was late at night, when she was half asleep and he had just fallen asleep and held her in his arms. She asked, half-awake, "Why is it so late?" Her coquettish tone delighted him, but when he looked down, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. It turned out to be just a murmur in her sleep.
Tonight's words sounded sweet yet bitter. He sighed deeply, feeling all the powerlessness he had ever felt in his life.
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It's hot, hot, hot! The heatwave is intense.
Wei Yu looked up and saw the bright sun shining in the sky. Sweat dripped onto the ground. She tried to raise her hand, but it was too weak. Looking down, she couldn't even move her feet. Where was she? Her throat felt blocked, and she couldn't utter a single word. Suddenly, everything around her turned pitch black, and she was terrified.
"Ayu" is her uncle! Overjoyed, she wept and followed him lightly. A group of strange rocks stood there, with the sound of flowing water. "Uncle, there's water!" she cried happily, as if she had once discovered a waterfall while hiking and was overjoyed. Her uncle turned around, and she was startled. It wasn't her uncle at all, but the Xuande Emperor! Without a word, she hurriedly retreated, and with a "thud," she fell. Looking around, she saw no one. She panicked; how could he have disappeared so quickly? She tried to call out, but everything went black, and she was plunged into darkness.
Emperor Xuande, sitting in a rattan chair, put down his memorial and walked to the bedside. Wei Yu on the bed had kicked the blankets askew, her head having just hit the edge of the bed. In her drowsy state, her brows were furrowed, and her hair was stuck to her forehead. He touched her neck and found it damp with sweat. This was the third time this had happened. He felt relieved; she should no longer have a fever. He left the room and ordered Gao Qing to bring hot soup to Wei Yu in case she stopped sweating. He also summoned the imperial physician to be on standby to check her pulse at any time.
At dawn, he carried Weiyu back to Qianqing Palace. Weiyu was burning with fever and had fallen into a coma. Hengchong, who was waiting, carefully examined her pulse and observed her complexion. He breathed a sigh of relief and told him to relax. It turned out that the reason Weiyu, who had been in contact with Bingpo the longest and was the weakest, was the last to fall ill was because firstly, the poisoning period hadn't been too long; she hadn't stayed in the west wing all day for ten days. Secondly, and mainly, it was because a gentle internal force within her body had counteracted most of the poison's invasion. The reason the Emperor, Gao Qing, Ziyi, and others hadn't been poisoned was also because they possessed profound internal force, enough to repel Bingpo's poison. Hengchong said that the Consort only needed to take the antidote every hour; after three bouts of fever, the poison would be cleared. The internal energy was given to Wei Yu after the Mid-Autumn Festival when Emperor Xuande noticed that her health had not improved. Every night after she fell asleep, he would infuse her with his internal energy, hoping to help her. When Emperor Xuande heard this, he wanted to give Wei Yu his internal energy again, but Hengchong stopped him, saying that the Consort had started to have a fever. Giving her internal energy at this time would not only be unhelpful, but would also prolong the internal struggle. Emperor Xuande then gave up the idea.
So Gao Qing personally delivered bowls of medicine to the East Warm Pavilion. Wei Yu, who was running a high fever, struggled erratically in her delirium. Emperor Xuande dismissed the palace maids and personally forced the medicine into her mouth. After struggling for most of the night and a morning, Wei Yu's fever subsided, much faster than expected.
Fortunately, on the second day of the Double Ninth Festival, the capital and even the whole country were still celebrating, and there was no routine court assembly. Not many ministers submitted memorials. Gao Qing reported back to Emperor Xuande. Emperor Xuande ordered the heads of the three provinces to make a decision and draft an edict. Gao Qing saw that Emperor Xuande did not mention the Zhou and Xue families at all, and he became even more uneasy. He sternly instructed the palace maids and eunuchs of Qianqing Palace not to make a fuss. After all, according to the rules, only the Empress could reside in Qianqing Palace for a long time. He was not afraid of Xingqing Palace, which must be very uneasy at this time. What he was afraid of was that group of upright officials outside who did not know the importance of submitting memorials and advice, and were just cannon fodder.
At this moment, everyone in the Qianqing Palace finally breathed a sigh of relief. Gao Qing secretly instructed Heng Chong to inform Zi Yi. After serving her properly, he personally went to the Imperial Kitchen to serve lunch, carrying a thin bowl of porridge and soup. On his way back, he saw the Ministers of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Ministry of Rites coming out of the Qianqing Palace. His heart skipped a beat. As he entered the hall, he heard Emperor Xuande say in the East Warm Pavilion, "Is that Gao Qing?"
The young eunuch lifted the curtain, and Gao Qing led the eunuchs to set out lunch at the round Ruyi table by the window. This table was set up because Emperor Xuande and Weiyu often dined there. Emperor Xuande took the bowl of porridge and went inside. He didn't come out for a long time. There were some fresh stains on his newly changed silk robe. He brushed them off and sat down at the round table.
"The Imperial Concubine is still unconscious. Call two of her maids to attend to her." Emperor Xuande casually instructed that Wei Yu would reside in the Qianqing Palace, "and have the West Warm Pavilion prepared as the Imperial Concubine's study."
"Yes." Gao Qing guessed that since the Minister of Rites was here, everyone must have ordered him to change the ceremony to silence the gossip.
“After lunch, go and run an errand. Make room for Yonghe Palace, and then,” he said, his eyes flashing with murderous intent, making Gao Qing shudder, “issue an imperial decree that I must go to Xingqing Palace to inquire about the Empress Dowager’s health. I heard that the Empress Dowager is ill, so I order Consort De to go and serve her.”
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A bolt of lightning ripped through the sky, followed by a deafening roar of thunder and a torrential downpour. Outside Xingqing Palace, guards stood at attention with their halberds, while inside the palace, everyone was filled with unease. In the main hall, Consort Zhou, sitting on a nanmu chair, appeared lifeless. The palace maids and eunuchs standing around could not hide their panic. Consort De kept licking her lips, and no one served her tea.
The sky grew increasingly gloomy. Since Hong Da disappeared without a trace last night, everyone in the palace was on edge. At dawn, the palace guards were suddenly increased, and everyone sensed something was amiss. In the early morning, only a few low-ranking concubines came to pay their respects. The Empress Dowager's two nieces were nowhere to be seen. Zhou Shi couldn't help but send someone out to test the waters. No one stopped her, but the news that came back was that no one had seen any court officials or the Imperial Concubine's palanquin leaving the Qianqing Palace.
Having just finished lunch, the Imperial Guards escorted Consort De's sedan chair into Xingqing Palace. Consort De, upon alighting from the chair, was terrified and incoherent, nearly losing control. "Mother, save me! I don't want to die! I don't want to die..." she cried and stumbled along. Zhou Shi hurriedly asked, "What happened?" Consort De sobbed and stammered for a long time before finally revealing that the Imperial Guards had deliberately taken her sedan chair to Yonghe Palace in the East Inner Palace. They had heard the sounds of beatings and the piercing, terrified cries from within, which had terrified Consort De. Upon hearing this, Zhou Shi's heart sank. She murmured, "It's over, it's over," and fell silent.
A eunuch darted in, respectfully placed a booklet on the jade table beside Lady Zhou, and withdrew. It was the Imperial Archives. Lady Zhou opened it, her face turning ashen. The booklet slipped from her hands. Consort De picked it up, opened it, and with a thunderous roar, Consort De collapsed to the ground. The wind rustled the pages of the booklet, and the vermilion ink revealed the following: "Duke Xue Jian of Zheng, wicked and treacherous, conspired with his son... to harm the harem, and even plotted treason... This is an unforgivable crime... The Xue father and son are sentenced to hanging. Consort Xue is demoted to commoner status, given thirty strokes of the cane, and sent to be confined to the palace. The male members are sent to Liaoxi to be government slaves for generations, and the female members are sold into prostitution..."
Consort De burst into tears, "The once mighty Xue family is finished just like that." Madam Zhou looked at Consort De pitifully, "Soon it will be the Zhou family's turn. This is my son, my retribution."
"His Majesty has arrived." Emperor Xuande walked in, with Gao Qing attending him, carrying a brocade box.