Chapter 12: Volatility

Chapter 12: Volatility

Waking up from a dream by Wan Song, Jiang Hui was still somewhat groggy.

"Wan Song?"

Her voice was slightly hoarse and sleepy.

The curtains were already lifted, the candlelight dim, and the jade-carved incense pouch hanging by the bed swayed gently.

The usually astute maid knelt by the bed, her tone slightly urgent.

"My lady, the Emperor is on his way to Yaohua Palace. Qingfeng sent a message that he left Fuyang Palace with a cold expression and should be at Taiye Pond by now..."

"What time is it?" Jiang Hui interrupted Wan Song's whisper, sitting up and taking a sip of warm water from her hand.

Shiliu, who had hurried over with clothes, joined in, "It's the third watch of the Hai hour. Aunt Ping is already preparing Jin Yu Geng in the small kitchen."

Consort Jia fell ill in the evening, and the Emperor visited Fuyang Palace. Now, why is he coming to Yaohua Palace with a cold face after everything is settled?

"Any news from Fuyang Palace?" She got up, letting Shiliu and Wan Song help her dress, clean her face, and do her makeup.

Wan Song shook her head.

"Not long after the Emperor went to Fuyang Palace, Eunuch An Jing, with the officials from the Ministry of Punishments, surrounded Baoqing Hall. No news could get out."

Surrounded Baoqing Hall? And with officials from the Ministry of Punishments, not the imperial guards?

The situation with Consort Jia wouldn't normally lead to the besieging of Baoqing Hall. What unexpected event had occurred?

Jiang Hui frowned, her tone resolute, "Shan Zha, go tell Qiu Kui and Hong Ying to take good care of Nian'er. No one is to leave the house tonight unless necessary."

"Understood," Shan Zha acknowledged the command.

"Wan Song, you take Hong Yu and Bi Yun with you, follow Qingfeng and keep a close watch on Yaohua Palace's servants. If anyone tries to take advantage of the situation, bind them immediately."

"Yes!" Wan Song responded firmly.

The woman in the bronze mirror had willow-like brows, her natural beauty accentuated in stillness, emanating an aura of sharp coolness.

Shiliu was swift and skilled, quickly tying up the approaching cloud and fragrant bun.

"How does this look, my lady?"

Jiang Hui glanced at her reflection, chose a bamboo-jointed, bell-tinkling white jade hairpin from the makeup box, and pinned it on. She then stood up: "Let's go and welcome His Majesty."

*

The imperial carriage traveled from Fuyang Palace all the way to Taiye Pond, where the moonlight glistened on the water, quietly reflecting the warm yellow stone lamps along the adjacent palace pathway.

"Stop."

Xiao Sheng alighted from the imperial carriage and strode to the lakeside, silent.

The night wind of late February was still biting. Xiao Sheng took a deep breath, involuntarily recalling Consort Hu's words at Fuyang Palace.

"—In the thirty-first year of Qian Ning, in May, when Your Majesty was inspecting water conservancy in Jin and Xu provinces, the late Emperor took everyone to the Summer Palace outside the capital. At a small pavilion near Liubo Lake, together with Empress Dowager Li, I witnessed the Noble Consort and the commoner Xiao Xu behaving inappropriately. I dared not look further..."

"…Later, Empress Dowager Li found me, enticing me with gold, silver, jewels, and the green-glazed Suanni incense burner, instructing me to keep silent about the incident and not cause trouble..."

"…I was afraid of revealing such a scandal in the royal family, being harassed by the Princess Chengping, or even being despised and losing my life at the hands of the late Emperor and Your Majesty. So, I agreed to Empress Dowager Li and never spoke of it..."

Sheng An, attending beside the Emperor, held a silver-threaded, cloud-patterned snow fox fur cloak, stealing glances at the Emperor’s expression and cautiously said, "Your Majesty?"

Xiao Sheng raised his hand to his forehead and asked, “What did those maids say?”

Sheng An bowed low, “After interrogation, the rest claimed ignorance of the matter. Only a maid named Bai Zhu confessed that the incident did occur last May, and she committed suicide by running into a pillar without further questioning.”

Xiao Sheng fell silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the deep green surface of the lake, his thoughts drifting back to his youth.

Back then, all the princes hadn’t yet established their own households and were confined by the late Emperor to the Chongwen Pavilion to study. Jiang Hui, Princess of Anning, was one of the few females there.

She was beautiful, doted on by her parents, and favored by the late Emperor. Often, she would play polo in the schoolyard, dressed in red, her smile bright and eyes mischievous, exuding the carefree spirit of a young girl. She was the little cousin whom all the princes favored.

Xiao Sheng pondered deeply – was she close to Prince Qi back then?

No.

He dismissed the thought, knowing clearly that during their time in the Chongwen Pavilion, Jiang Hui was still unaware of romantic feelings.

Princess Anning, not yet of age to wear hairpins, treated everyone genuinely as her brothers – the Crown Prince Yuanhui, the Heir of the An Kingdom who was a study companion to the Crown Prince, Prince Qi, and himself, the Third Prince filled with distant thoughts.

Later, as they grew older and most of the princes entered the imperial court, their close interactions gradually ceased.

Moreover, Prince Qi was fond of martial arts and straightforward in nature. Although not adept in strategy, he greatly valued loyalty and friendship. He always followed Crown Prince Yuanhui’s lead and was as close as brothers with the Heir of the An Kingdom, Chen Xianyu. He would never harbor inappropriate thoughts towards Jiang Hui, who was engaged to Chen Xianyu.

Xiao Sheng let out a sigh of relief, finally feeling the chill of the night, and draped Sheng An’s cloak over himself.

Seeing this, Sheng An revealed a measured smile and inquired, "Your Majesty, are we still heading to Yaohua Palace?"

Xiao Sheng glanced at him and asked, “What time is it now?”

"It’s just reached the Hai hour," Sheng An promptly replied.

“The Noble Consort is frail, and at this hour, she should already be resting… Let’s return to Jianzhang Palace.”

After a pause, Xiao Sheng added, “Ensure the attendants at Baoqing Hall are dealt with cleanly. Send someone to take the Second Princess to Fengyi Palace, say that Fuyang Palace has water issues, and have the Empress handle the aftermath. Don’t worry the Empress Dowager.”

"Understood," Sheng An replied.

The imperial carriage turned and gradually disappeared along the banks of Taiye Pond.

As they passed another palace pathway, Xiao Sheng looked up at the bright moon, his mind stirring again with thoughts:

If Prince Qi had no intentions, what about Chen Xianyu, the Heir of the An Kingdom?

Chen Yuan, Chen Xianyu, had been betrothed to her since childhood, a man known for his talents under the bright moon and clear wind. If he were still alive, would Jiang Hui have married him?

In the twenty-eighth year of Qian Ning, Crown Prince Yuanhui passed away, and Chen Xianyu also died. He remembered hearing that Princess Chengping, accompanied by Jiang Hui, went to mourn him…

Xiao Sheng still remembered their wedding night, when he gazed at the woman in the candlelight, her features like a painting, unusually pensive for a newlywed Crown Prince. He couldn’t help asking her if she was willing to marry into the Eastern Palace.

How did she respond at that time?

Under the flickering candlelight, Jiang Hui, in her water-red bridal dress of a side consort, with eyes shining like stars, asked:

"Doesn't third brother wish to marry me?"

*

Yaohua Palace.

Outside the spacious Qionghua Hall, Jiang Hui stood under the corridor with her personal maids.

She wore a two-tone brocade cloak with hidden flower patterns, holding an octagonal palace lantern inlaid with pearls, having waited for a while.

Actually, she didn't have to play out this scene.

With sabotaged items found among her belongings, even if the perpetrator couldn't be traced, just telling the Emperor everything as it was would suffice. He would never tolerate someone who dared harm his consort – who could guarantee they wouldn't target the Emperor himself someday?

If Jiang Hui were as chaste, gentle, and compliant as taught in the "Women's Precepts," this would be the end of it.

But she wasn't.

She now had Nian'er, a child of frail health, and she didn't want to live in constant fear and guardedness every day.

"Is there such a thing as a thief who operates for a thousand days without being caught?"

"Could it really be believed that sisterly harmony blooms amidst luxury and that the women of the harem wouldn't scheme against her, the Emperor's favored consort and the mother of his son?"

"Thus, she was bound to fight back."

"The only problem with this play is that one day, when the Emperor's love for her wanes, he will reflect on these events and see the Consort as manipulating the imperial physician, mocking the other consorts, and being deeply scheming."

"Under the dimly lit eaves, a young eunuch stealthily refilled the oil in the bronze lamps, as the Emperor's palanquin was nowhere to be seen."

"'My lady, the wind is strong tonight. Shall we go inside?' Pomegranate stepped forward to tidy up her slightly disheveled hair, whispering persuasively."

"Jiang Hui glanced at the sky, no longer insisting, and agreed with a nod, heading towards the inner chamber."

"At this moment, Qingfeng briskly approached from the palace gate, and upon reaching Jiang Hui, he bowed and reported: 'My lady, the Emperor has returned to the Jianzhang Palace. It seems he won't be visiting the Yaohua Palace tonight.'"