Gao Yuexing, across two lifetimes, had never thrown a knife with such precision.
His eyes widened in rage, his limbs uncontrollably twitching. Dark red blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth. Gao Yuexing knew that if he stepped forward to pull out the knife now, he could witness the gruesome scene of blood spurting three feet into the air—a sight that would utterly satisfy his thirst for vengeance.
A young lady raised in the confines of the inner chambers might never in her life see, or even dare to imagine, such a bloody scene.
Gao Yuexing, too, had never dared before. But the visceral stimulation of fresh blood suddenly brought back memories of the assassination at the suburban palace that marked her end.
The palace was outwardly relaxed yet inwardly tightly guarded. Li Fuxiang, knowing she liked to spend autumn and winter at the suburban palace, had stationed nearly all the guards he could muster inside the palace to ensure her safety.
But that night was no ordinary assassination.
A whistling arrow pierced the stillness of the night sky. Gao Yuexing pushed open the window to see flames lighting up the heavens.
Countless fire arrows shot toward her Youxian Platform from all directions. That night, she witnessed much blood—both from her own people and the assassins. Corpses littered the ground, and blood stained the jade steps.
She ordered someone to move a butterfly chair into the main hall and sat firmly upon it.
In truth, her memories of that night had already grown blurry. She had been feeling unwell for days, perpetually drowsy, often falling asleep unknowingly during the day and waking up in the dead of night, with the bright moon hanging high in the sky.
She vaguely remembered that even the new moon in the sky that night seemed tinged with blood.
Gao Yuexing sank into those memories, her thoughts growing hazy again. She didn’t know how much time had passed before her senses gradually returned, and she felt someone pulling her.
When she looked up, it was Li Fuxiang tugging at her sleeve, seemingly trying to get her to follow him, his brows furrowed with a trace of urgency.
She glanced at the person lying on the ground again. He had already stopped breathing entirely, his eyes wide open, dying with a grievance unfulfilled.
Thinking she had frightened him, Gao Yuexing rasped out, “Don’t be afraid…”
The clashing of blades from outside had already begun to echo faintly through the walls.
Li Fuxiang pointed toward the passageway extending deeper into the dungeon.
Gao Yuexing looked at the pitch-black darkness and guessed that it must lead to the well beneath the southern pavilion.
Li Fuxiang had likely come through that very route.
Gao Yuexing hesitated for a moment before turning back to retrieve the dagger. The still-warm blood splashed onto her expensive dress. She tore off a piece of her hem to clean the blade before sheathing the dagger and handing it back to Li Fuxiang.
If her guess was correct, this was probably the first birthday gift Li Fuxiang had ever received in his life. He clearly cherished it, carrying it with him wherever he went.
Further ahead, Gao Yuexing could no longer discern the path through the darkness. She could only rely on Li Fuxiang, treading cautiously. She had barely taken a few steps when she noticed him suddenly stop.
Their fingers were interlocked.
Li Fuxiang abruptly tightened his grip, making her hand ache.
Ignoring the pain, Gao Yuexing immediately gripped his hand with equal force and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Li Fuxiang raised his arm to shield her and stepped back.
At the same time, a sharp wind brushed past her ear, and the wall lamps on either side flared to life simultaneously.
Gao Yuexing saw a person standing in the already narrow passage ahead, blocking the way with a horizontal blade. Seeing that figure, her heart sank. It’s over. They had just dealt with one, and now there was another.
When she looked closer at the flamboyant Feiyu Robe on the person, her gaze darkened. Could it be that even the Jinyiwei had been infiltrated by Fox Hu Tribe spies?
The supposedly impenetrabledDefense of the Capital was nearly riddled with Fox Hu Tribe Spies. Is the Great Xu dynasty doomed?
The Jinyiwei before them looked extremely young. Supporting himself with his Xiuchun Dao1The Xiuchun Dao (绣春刀), translated as “Embroidered Spring Saber,” was a distinctive type of saber used by the Jinyiwei (锦衣卫), the imperial secret police during the Ming Dynasty in China., he suddenly dropped to one knee and saluted, “This humble servant, Jinyiwei Commander Xi Heng, is here under imperial orders to secretly ensure Miss Gao’s safety. I did not expect this matter to alarm Your Highness.”
So, he was one of their own.
Gao Yuexing let out a sigh of relief, but she quickly realized a startling problem. “The Emperor ordered you to secretly protect me?”
Xi Heng: “Yes.”
Gao Yuexing: “Since when?”
Xi Heng answered truthfully, “From the moment you stepped out of Qianqing Palace today, I have been following you. Unfortunately, Miss Gao had no need for me to take action.”
Gao Yuexing: “…”
Xi Heng carefully observed her expression and lowered his head. “With Miss Gao’s sharpness, you must have already realized it, right?”
Realized it she had. She had unknowingly stepped into a trap laid by others.
Xi Heng continued smoothly, making his words sound pleasing to the ear. “Thanks to Miss Gao’s willingness to risk herself, we were able to uncover this group of bandits’ hideout and eliminate them completely. Miss Gao’s contribution is paramount in this operation.”
In truth, Gao Jing had not uncovered any concrete evidence regarding the Fox Hu Tribe spies. The Jinyiwei had secretly acted on imperial orders, spreading false information within the palace. Gao Jing had been unjustly blamed, and Gao Yuexing even more so.
What kind of emperor did she end up with…
Gao Yuexing, displeased, made no effort to conceal her thoughts in front of Xi Heng. “If His Majesty wished to use me, he should have informed me beforehand.”
Xi Heng replied, “He kept it from you out of concern that you might show weakness and ruin the plan. However, had he known earlier how composed and steady Miss Gao’s mind is, His Majesty would have surely discussed the matter with you in advance. Does Miss Gao feel wronged?”
Wronged…
Gao Yuexing savored the word and found it amusing. “The streets sing of the Jinyiwei as heartless monsters. When handling cases, do you ever concern yourselves with whether the criminals feel wronged?”
Xi Heng, unperturbed by her sarcasm, replied in his usual tone, “Miss Gao jests. How could you be compared to a criminal?”
With Xi Heng present, they no longer needed to traverse the dark passage. Under the escort of the Jinyiwei, they safely exited through the main gates of the Eastern Palace. Gao Yuexing looked back at Li Fuxiang, battered and injured, still wondering how he had managed to find her through the secret passage.
But someone even more curious than her was the Emperor.
After escorting them back to Qianqing Palace, Xi Heng took a special trip to the well beneath the Xiaonan Pavilion. Gao Yuexing, taking advantage of the Emperor’s favor, eavesdropped on his findings.
The secret passage between the Xiaonan Pavilion and the Eastern Palace had been sealed off long ago, even before Consort Mei’s death. However, due to the rush of time and materials, the job had been crudely done, with bricks and mud leaving small gaps.
The largest of these gaps could allow a four- or five-year-old child to squeeze through. It was likely that Li Fuxiang had stumbled upon it while playing as a child, which was how he remembered the route.
At his current age, passing through it was far more challenging. Xi Heng found traces of manual widening along the gaps, explaining all the cuts and scrapes on Li Fuxiang’s body and hands. He had spent hours painstakingly enlarging a passage, forcing himself through to find Gao Yuexing.
Gao Yuexing’s wounds were treated with the finest medicinal powder and pearl ointment. Gao Jing, distressed, pulled her into his arms, gently rubbing her soft hair with his chin. “Ah Xing, do you miss home? Shall Father take you home?”
Gao Yuexing buried her head into her father’s warm neck and muttered softly, “I do.”
Meanwhile, Li Fuxiang was also tending to his wounds. His injuries were numerous, requiring him to remove his clothes for careful examination. The Emperor, holding gauze soaked in hot water, intended to personally clean his wounds. However, as soon as the Emperor approached, Li Fuxiang turned his head away.
The Emperor’s heart sank. “…Child, I am your father, the Emperor.”
A father? What kind of thing was that? Li Fuxiang had never learned in the past ten years. The mute servant woman who raised him wouldn’t teach him such things, and besides, a father who personally issued the order to imprison someone until death was better left unmentioned.
He only knew that he had longed day and night, and finally got a beautiful little wife—almost to lose her.
No one knew better than he the excruciating pain of having one’s fingernails forcibly torn out. How had his little wife endured it? He had arrived too late to know if she had cried or been afraid.
Gao Yuexing finished bandaging her wounds and changed out of her bloodstained clothes.
Gao Jing, looking at the blood on her dress, felt a chill in his heart. Listening to Xi Heng’s account of what had happened, he could hardly believe his six-year-old daughter had the composure to kill someone.
Serving the Emperor was like serving a tiger. Gao Jing no longer wanted to leave his daughter in the palace.
Fortunately, the Emperor felt the same. At such a young age, Gao Yuexing already displayed faint traces of venomous cunning. The Emperor was not comfortable leaving such a girl by his son’s side.
Gao Yuexing donned a brand-new red dress, and Gao Jing scooped her up in one motion. “Come, let’s go home with Father.”
Caught off guard by her father’s sudden decisiveness, Gao Yuexing clung tightly to his neck. “Father, I… I want to say something to him.”
Gao Jing paused in his steps and asked, “You like him a lot?”
Gao Yuexing smiled and candidly admitted, “Yes, I like him a lot.”
Gao Jing sighed and lovingly stroked her small face. “You’re still young, my child. Forget him. You likely won’t have the chance to see him again.”
Gao Yuexing froze.
Gao Jing didn’t say it outright.
But since he put it that way, it was probably the Emperor’s decision.
They wouldn’t meet again…
Gao Jing carried her out of the palace.
Gao Yuexing rested her chin on his shoulder, gazing back at the crimson walls and green tiles of the imperial city. The night was deep, the snow had stopped, but the wind had turned even colder. Beyond the palace gates, Gao Jing trudged through the snow, slipping now and then but never loosening his hold on his little daughter.
Once inside the carriage, they lit the coal stove.
Gao Jing handed his own hand warmer to his daughter.
Gao Yuexing cradled the large hand warmer in her arms like a giant ball. Finally finding a moment of leisure, she examined her hands. “Father, I killed someone.”
Gao Jing’s expression remained calm. “Father already knows.”
Gao Yuexing asked, “Doesn’t Father find me frightening?”
Gao Jing replied, “Frightening? Why? Are you planning to throw a knife at me and kill your father?” The carriage creaked as its wheels turned over the snow. Gao Jing coaxed her patiently, “You’re my daughter. I know your nature better than anyone. You’re so kind-hearted. It’s my fault I didn’t protect you well and let you get caught in such danger.”
Gao Yuexing shook her head vehemently. “No, it wasn’t Father’s fault.”
Ever since her daughter entered the palace, Madam Gao had been unable to eat or sleep, worrying day and night. She had grown visibly thinner. That evening, sitting under the lamp waiting for her husband’s return, she was stunned to see that Gao Jing had silently brought their daughter back home. Overwhelmed with joy, she burst into tears.
Her eldest sister, Gao Yuemin, had already gone to bed. Upon hearing the commotion, she hastily threw on some clothes and rushed out. Hugging her little sister, she touched her face and then her hands, checking her over. The wounds on Gao Yuexing’s hands couldn’t escape her family’s notice. Smiling obediently in front of her mother, she explained, “I was just being naughty and hurt myself accidentally. It’s nothing serious.”
The family returned to their residence in high spirits, surrounded by joy.
But while some celebrated, others were left troubled.
In the imperial palace, that same night, a small but significant event occurred.
Li Fuxiang suddenly realized Gao Yuexing was nowhere to be found. The Emperor had issued an order to seal all information, leaving everyone too afraid to tell him the truth. That night, Li Fuxiang packed his belongings and resolutely left Qianqing Palace.
Meanwhile, the Emperor was still in the study, attending to unfinished matters and questioning Xi Heng in detail about the events in the Eastern Palace.
—
“Did you really hear him speak with your own ears?”
Xi Heng: “Yes, Your Majesty. The young prince was practicing saying Miss Gao’s name, repeating it over and over again.”
“Was his enunciation clear?”
“Extremely clear.”
“Did he speak fluently?”
“Very fluently.”
“Did he say anything else?”
“No, not a single word.”
These questions had already been asked by the Emperor three times, over and over.
Xi Heng had to attempt to change the topic: “Your Majesty sent Miss Gao out of the palace—was it because you were worried she might be a bad influence on the young prince?”
The Emperor pressed his temples, fatigued, and replied, “He likes Gao Yuexing so much; how could I bear to send her away? It was my own mishandling of the situation that caused Lord Gao to feel wronged. He, however, harbors no resentment and only insisted on bringing his daughter back to his side.”
Xi Heng sighed, “What a pity.”
The Emperor looked up at him. “What is a pity?”
Xi Heng responded, “This humble servant witnessed Miss Gao’s composure and skill when throwing the knife. It was so clean and precise. The Jinyiwei recently recruited a batch of new children, and there are a few promising ones among them. But compared to Miss Gao, they’re nothing more than novices in the presence of a master.”
The Emperor instantly recognized his intent. “What are you getting at?”
Thick-skinned, Xi Heng suggested, “Your Majesty might as well ask Lord Gao if he would be willing to let his daughter come to the Jinyiwei to gain some experience.”
The Emperor almost didn’t need to think. “Ridiculous!”
Children raised within the Jinyiwei were either orphans or came from families so impoverished that they joined simply for a chance to survive. These children honed their skills through years of rigorous training, and only the best among them would endure the strict selection process to serve as Jinyiwei officers.
Traditionally, boys were chosen, though there were rare exceptions—like the current Deputy Commander of the Jinyiwei, an infamously difficult woman.
But Gao Yuexing was a noble-born girl from a high-ranking family. Her parents were alive and well, and she lacked for nothing. Gao Jing treasured her as the apple of his eye, so much so that even the slightest injury to her would break his heart. Unless he lost his mind, Gao Jing would never send his daughter into the Jinyiwei to endure such inhumane hardships.
The Emperor waved his hand dismissively. “Get rid of that absurd idea, and don’t provoke Gao Jing.”
Xi Heng bowed his head and acknowledged the order, though he still muttered regretfully, “That’s why I said it’s a pity…”
—
While some Fox Hu Tribe spies were eradicated on the spot in the Eastern Palace, a few slipped through the net and fled amidst the chaos. The Emperor had already ordered the Jinyiwei to monitor the movements of every person entering and exiting the palace. He planned to use these loose ends as bait to draw out the bigger players.
After dealing with several days’ worth of accumulated memorials, the Emperor took a sip of warm tea. As was customary, an attendant approached and asked, “Your Majesty, would you like to retire to the palace for the night?”
The Emperor closed his eyes, said nothing, and shook his head.
The eunuch immediately fell silent and stepped back to his position.
The Emperor still hadn’t figured out how to tell Li Fuxiang about Gao Yuexing being sent home.
In truth, it wouldn’t remain a secret for long. By now, Li Fuxiang, not seeing her, should already be worried.
The Emperor sat in the study, lost in thought for a while. Around the second watch of the night, a palace maid holding a lantern appeared outside the study.
Before the maid could request entry, the Emperor himself stepped outside and asked in a low voice, “What’s the matter in the palace?”
The maid, trembling, knelt down and replied, “Your Majesty, the young prince has packed his belongings and left.”
The Emperor was greatly alarmed. “Left? Where did he go?”
The maid answered, “The young prince carried his clothes to the Xiaonan Pavilion. He’s been there for some time and even cleaned up a bed. It seems he doesn’t intend to return to the palace tonight.”
Not wanting to cause a commotion late at night, the Emperor neither sent orders to chase after him nor had too many people follow. With his hands clasped behind his back, he headed toward the Xiaonan Pavilion. It was getting colder now that winter had set in, and the Xiaonan Pavilion was no place for anyone to stay.
The eunuch holding a lantern led the Emperor to the Xiaonan Pavilion, only to find it empty except for a trembling young maid standing outside.
The Emperor, growing anxious, demanded, “Where is he?”
The maid bowed her head and answered, “Your Majesty, Lady Xu from Rouqi Pavilion has taken him to her quarters.”
Lady Xu, the Imperial Consort.
The Emperor paused for a moment.
When the old case was revisited, Gao Jing had pieced together the truth bit by bit, finally clearing Lady Xu of any wrongdoing. Among the Fox Hu Tribe spies eliminated earlier that day, two had previously served Zheng Yungou, the one who framed Lady Xu.
For ten years, Lady Xu had borne unjust accusations, yet she had still taken care of Li Fuxiang in the Xiaonan Pavilion. It was largely thanks to her attention and care that Li Fuxiang had survived such hardship.
That evening, without any prior notice, the Emperor visited Rouqi Pavilion, a place he hadn’t stepped into for ten years.
Li Fuxiang was already tucked under the covers but was not asleep. The cat Lady Xu kept, a docile one named Little Mianhua, lay quietly beside him, allowing him to stroke its fur repeatedly.
Lady Xu hurriedly rose to greet the Emperor.
Li Fuxiang, now genuinely averse to him, turned away while hugging Little Mianhua and curled up.
The Emperor sighed helplessly and asked Lady Xu, “How is he?”
Lady Xu shook her head. “Not well. Perhaps he caught a chill in the night. He seems to have a slight fever, though his spirits are still fine. I’ve had some ginger tea brewed for him to warm up. Let’s see if it helps.”
The Emperor frowned and turned to instruct, “Summon the imperial physician.”
Understanding the Emperor’s focus on Li Fuxiang, Lady Xu tactfully led her attendants away, leaving the space for the father and son.
The Emperor slowly approached, sitting down in the chair beside the bed. He spoke gently, “Gao Yuexing is not your wife. Like you, she is just a person. You have parents, and so does she. Children are meant to stay with their parents; it’s the natural order. She couldn’t stay away from her family for too long, so her father brought her home. Just as I once brought you home. Do you understand?”
The Emperor looked at Li Fuxiang’s feverishly red ears and let out a bitter laugh. “You don’t want to listen, pretending to close your ears, huh? I know you understand.”
Li Fuxiang refused to respond no matter what, though his breathing gradually became more labored.
Noticing something was wrong, the Emperor quickly turned him over and found his face flushed, his expression pained. He was tilting his head back, gasping desperately for air.
He was having another asthma attack.
The on-duty imperial physician, having received the Emperor’s summons, dared not delay for even a moment and rushed over with his medicine box. Seeing Li Fuxiang struggling, the Emperor couldn’t wait any longer and ordered a carriage to be sent to fetch the physician more quickly.
Li Fuxiang had suffered from asthma for many years. Having endured it for so long, he knew how to make himself feel better. Stubbornly, he pushed away the Emperor’s hands pressing against his chest.
The Emperor, flustered and at his wit’s end, felt as though his head might split. In a low voice, he scolded, “Behave yourself! Stop making things worse. If you just cooperate and see the physician, I promise I’ll bring Gao Yuexing back tomorrow. Deal?”