Gao Yuexing watched as he quickly blended into the night, merging with the countless troops coming and going, sighed, and turned to head toward the temporary palace.
Unexpectedly, as she reached the main hall, a commotion suddenly erupted.
Several imperial physicians accompanying the autumn hunt hurriedly rushed toward the emperor’s study.
At the door stood Princess Li Lanyao, her eyes red and her demeanor somewhat lost and panicked.
Gao Yuexing’s heart sank instantly. Someone as composed as her felt her steps falter for a moment. “Your Highness, Princess!” Gao Yuexing called out, “What happened?”
When Li Lanyao saw her, a spark of hope suddenly lit up in her eyes. She gripped Gao Yuexing’s hand and choked out, “Ah Xing, you came at just the right time. They all say you’re a little divine doctor from the Medicine Valley. Come and take a look for me.”
Before Gao Yuexing could figure out what was going on, Li Lanyao half-dragged, half-pulled her into the study.
The door closed behind them.
Inside, Gao Yuexing saw the visibly flustered and panicked Consort Xian. Looking around the study, aside from a few imperial guards in brocade uniforms, there was no one else. She asked, “What on earth happened? Speak slowly.”
Consort Xian clearly couldn’t explain coherently anymore.
Li Lanyao summarized, “Aunt Wei’s identity is suspicious. She poisoned the lily porridge my mother prepared for Father.”
This was beyond Gao Yuexing’s expectations. “It was her?”
Gao Yuexing had long known that one of the consorts in the palace was an accomplice of Consort Hui. She had suspected many people, especially Consort Xian, who had weighed on her mind for years. Gao Yuexing had pondered it over and over—seeming both plausible and implausible at the same time.
The reason was finally clear.
It turned out to be Aunt Wei.
Aunt Wei was Consort Xian’s trusted aide. Whatever she said or did could almost be seen as representing Consort Xian’s will. If Aunt Wei had leveraged Consort Xian’s influence to carry out treasonous acts in the palace, it would indeed be highly deceptive.
But why would a mere servant do such a thing?
As Gao Yuexing struggled to make sense of it, she didn’t forget to worry about the emperor.
It seemed the princess had just said there was poison in the emperor’s porridge.
The summoned imperial physicians stood with their heads bowed in the hall, pressing themselves against the wall, doing their best to appear inconspicuous.
Gao Yuexing asked, “Where is the emperor? Has he truly been poisoned?”
The princess replied, “Not at all. Father isn’t even here. I couldn’t find Aunt Wei when I returned, so I came up with this plan to lure her out.”
Gao Yuexing understood her intention and agreed, “Exactly. Creating the illusion that the emperor was poisoned would make Aunt Wei believe her plan had succeeded. She will definitely try to send word to her master. Have the imperial guards stay vigilant and pay close attention.”
Enlightened by her suggestion, Li Lanyao immediately gave the necessary orders. She let out a long sigh and remarked, “Managing the inner palace is truly not a task for ordinary people. Ah Xing, you are remarkable.”
Gao Yuexing, however, hadn’t fully relaxed yet. “You said the emperor isn’t here?”
Li Lanyao replied, “Yes, it seems I haven’t seen Father since last night.”
Gao Yuexing frowned, deep in thought, as a realization slowly dawned on her.
Li Lanyao noticed her distracted expression and tugged at her sleeve. “What is it?”
Gao Yuexing snapped back to reality and said, “I think… everything might end tonight.”
Li Lanyao was stunned. “Huh? What?”
Gao Yuexing pushed open a window, pointed outside, and said, “Look, the Imperial Guards are here, the Jinyiwei are here, and the Xiaoqi Camp is here. Don’t you think something is missing?”
Li Lanyao asked, “Missing what?”
Gao Yuexing replied, “When it comes to military power, when we talk about the sharpest weapon of our Great Xu Dynasty, who’s the first person that comes to mind?”
Li Lanyao pondered seriously for a moment before answering, “That would surely be the Zheng Family Army. Marshal Zheng is a star general who has guarded the western frontier for over twenty years. Without him, the western frontier wouldn’t have remained peaceful for so long.”
Gao Yuexing continued, “And where is Marshal Zheng?”
Li Lanyao said, “I think I just saw him earlier.”
Gao Yuexing pressed further, “He may be here, but where are his soldiers? Where is the Zheng Family Army? And even his two sons and two grandsons—where are they?”
The series of questions bombarded Li Lanyao, who had just pieced together her thoughts, only for her mind to descend into chaos again.
Gao Yuexing explained, “You know as well as anyone that the Zheng Family Army is the sharpest weapon of the nation. At this moment, they must be stationed at the most critical location.”
Just as Li Lanyao finished giving her previous orders, the results came in.
The Jinyiwei entered to report that someone had been caught using carrier pigeons to send messages out of the palace. The person apprehended was none other than Aunt Wei, who had attempted to escape during the commotion.
The Jinyiwei asked whether to intercept the message.
In this situation, no one had the authority to decide.
Both Li Lanyao and Consort Xian turned their gazes to Gao Yuexing.
Gao Yuexing pursed her lips briefly and said, “No need.”
—
In the imperial palace.
Consort Hui had stayed awake for an entire day and night.
Lady Wen, who was staying with her, had taken a brief nap at night but quickly woke up again, startled.
In such circumstances, it was natural to sleep uneasily.
Consort Hui seemed to be waiting for something.
Lady Wen, having recovered her spirits somewhat, sat in the courtyard of Jingmen Palace, staring blankly at the moon. She was completely under Consort Hui’s watchful eye, unable to go anywhere or do anything.
Of course, the same logic applied in reverse.
Every move Consort Hui made was also completely under Lady Wen’s scrutiny.
Who was the fish, and who was the bait? It was still uncertain.
Finally, in the middle of the night, Consort Hui received a carrier pigeon.
The pigeon landed on the perch in the courtyard of Jingmen Palace. Lady Wen’s eyes fixed on the bird as Consort Hui, in her presence, removed the message tied to its leg.
The message contained only a few words, their content unclear.
Holding the slip of paper, Consort Hui stood in the courtyard for a long time. Suddenly, she began to laugh softly.
The laughter was interspersed with the sound of coughing.
The laughter grew louder and louder.
Eventually, it turned into a chilling, ghastly laugh that echoed through the night.
After locking eyes with her, Lady Wen began to retreat step by step, perfectly displaying a frightened expression.
Consort Hui lunged at her, grabbing her hand forcefully and said, “Come with me, you’re coming with me.”
The palace was eerily silent, and there were hardly any people to be seen along the way—this was highly unusual. Even if the emperor had left the capital, the palace, as a crucial place, would never have such sparse guards. No matter how many schemes Consort Hui had, it was impossible for her to take control of the entire palace so easily.
However, in her state of madness, Consort Hui didn’t notice these minor but suspicious details at all.
Dragging Lady Wen, she headed straight toward Qianqing Palace. Lady Wen, with a cold and composed gaze, followed without the slightest misstep in her stride.
Qianqing Palace, standing at the most prominent position in the imperial city, was shrouded in darkness with no light to be seen.
Even the guards outside had been dismissed.
Consort Hui barged in with Lady Wen, flinging the doors open. She spread her arms wide as if embracing the power of the entire empire, exclaiming, “If you obediently give birth to a son, I will dedicate all my efforts to ensuring his ascension to the throne. Once he becomes emperor, you will be the Empress Dowager… But you cannot live. The birth mother of the new emperor must die, only then will you not stand in my way…”
Lady Wen sneered coldly. “—Empress Dowager?”
Consort Hui’s expression instantly turned icy. “Are you mocking me?”
Lady Wen replied, “I wouldn’t dare.”
By the time they reached Qianqing Palace, Lady Wen seemed like an entirely different person.
She asked, “What was written in that letter?”
At the mention of this, Consort Hui began to laugh again. Standing in the middle of Qianqing Palace, she softly said to Lady Wen, “The emperor… has passed away.”
Lady Wen remained silent, taking a few steps back as she observed Consort Hui’s madness.
Consort Hui shouted, “Light the lamps! Someone, light the lamps!”
Her voice echoed loudly, but there were no servants accompanying her.
Yet, as soon as she finished speaking—
The lamps in Qianqing Palace began to light up, one by one, until the entire hall was illuminated brightly.
The ones lighting the lamps were palace maids from Qianqing Palace.
As Consort Hui watched their orderly movements, she suddenly felt that something was amiss. However, her chaotic mind was no longer capable of calmly analyzing the situation.
When all the lamps were lit, the palace maids retreated to either side and stood silently.
The doors to the warm pavilion inside Qianqing Palace opened.
The eunuchs filed out in an orderly manner.
The smile on Consort Hui’s face completely vanished. She stood frozen in place, wide-eyed, staring at the scene before her.
Like a monkey wearing clothes.
A figure in bright yellow stepped out from the warm pavilion.
The only person who could wear a dragon robe openly was none other than the emperor.
Consort Hui was completely stunned. “You’re not… you’re not…”
The emperor sat down in his seat and said, “I was truly naive to have trusted you for so many years.”
Consort Hui didn’t seem to hear what the emperor was saying. In disbelief, she murmured, “Weren’t you… weren’t you already on your way to the Xiaoshan Palace? How are you here in the palace? You’re not the emperor, are you? Who are you?”
The emperor replied, “I could have stayed away from the palace, but after thinking it through, I decided to return. After all, we’ve shared decades of history, and I did grow up under your care. Aunt Hui, do you have anything else you’d like to say?”
Consort Hui could only stammer one question: “How did you return…? The Twelve Supervisors and the Palace Administration Bureau…”
Lady Wen spoke up. “All fake.”
Consort Hui turned her head sharply. “What did you say?”
Lady Wen explained, “The Twelve Supervisors—so long as Xu Xiude is present, you’ll never truly gain control over them. As for the Palace Administration Bureau, yes, you planted many of your own people, but the moment the emperor left the palace yesterday, they were all dealt with. Consort Hui, you have no one left to rely on.”
Consort Hui demanded harshly, “Dealt with? By whom?”
Lady Wen replied calmly, “By me.”
As someone from the Jinyiwei, killing a few people—or even wiping out an entire household—was a simple matter with the emperor’s orders.
The emperor waved his hand toward Lady Wen. “You may return to the palace.”
Lady Wen bowed deeply, casting a final, silent glance at the emperor before taking her leave.
The emperor looked at this elder who had held an important position in his life for decades. In his heart, he couldn’t determine whether he felt more anger or sorrow.
Both the imperial palace and the capital had long been under the tight protection of the Zheng Family Army.
The emperor had thought Consort Hui might still have some final gambit left within the palace walls. But in the end, he realized he had overestimated her.
As Lady Wen left, Zheng Yunji entered, waiting by the door.
The emperor, seeing his arrival, said, “Take her away. Execute her immediately. No need to pick another day.”
Zheng Yunji stepped forward, grabbed Consort Hui by the collar, and effortlessly dragged her out.
The emperor’s occasional decisiveness could be clean and thorough.
When daylight broke again—
At Xiaoshan Palace, the emperor arrived.
Li Fuxiang had already resolved the chaos at the temporary palace.
The grand feast of the autumn hunt was in full swing.