Chapter 9

The towering city gate blocked the blazing sun, and the wind howled under the Meridian Gate. Xu Yunqi, wrapped in a fur-lined red satin cloak, stood beneath the crenellations. The vast expanse of red walls behind her made her complexion look as white as jade, and she appeared as graceful as a butterfly.

When Pei Muheng came out, he saw his young wife with her nose red from the cold, her clear eyes looking at him. The cold wind tousled her hair, and she gently brushed a strand back, giving him a shy smile. The dazzling red walls and her bright cloak did nothing to overshadow her striking beauty.

Pei Muheng’s eyes scanned her entire figure. She had her hands clasped in front of her stomach, shivering from the cold, but they were empty. He glanced at the maid beside her, who had a fearful expression and also carried nothing.

Pei Muheng didn’t show any sign of disappointment; he simply asked calmly, “Why have you come at this hour?”

Not only was it an unusual time, but it was also inappropriate to come to the Imperial City. Xu Yunqi knew she might have crossed a line today and quickly knelt to pay her respects, “Third Master, I apologize. I did not intend to disturb you. I have left something important in your carriage. May I retrieve it?”

So that’s the reason.

Pei Muheng couldn’t quite make sense of his feelings.

Clouds slowly gathered in the sky, and the sunlight gradually dimmed. Pei Muheng let out an almost imperceptible sigh and pointed inside, “Follow me.”

Xu Yunqi saw that Pei Muheng did not interrogate or blame her, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She left Yin Xing outside the city wall and followed Pei Muheng cautiously, not daring to speak.

At the Meridian Gate, Pei Muheng presented his badge to the gate guard for verification. After saying a few words, the guard respectfully let them pass.

The carriage was parked in an alley behind the Directorate of the Imperial Household. As they walked along the pathway between the Directorate and the palace wall, a dense, chilly wind suddenly blew, causing Pei Muheng to frown. He turned his head and saw his wife silently following three steps behind. Her almond eyes were clear and focused on the path ahead, but when she noticed him, her gaze filled with anxiety and guilt, as soft as a kitten’s tail.

Pei Muheng had mixed feelings. He truly disliked having the women from his household come to the government district, but seeing his gentle wife, he made an exception and said, “I’m not angry with you.”

In no time, Pei Muheng brought her to the carriage. Xu Yunqi quickly lifted her skirt and climbed into the carriage to search for her sachet.

After some effort, she finally found the sachet in a crevice beside the brocade stool. It must have fallen in during the bumpy ride. Xu Yunqi tucked the sachet into her waist pocket, happily exited the carriage, and was about to get down when she saw a large hand extended in front of her.

The hand was long and fair, and in the sunlight, it looked exceptionally beautiful.

Xu Yunqi was stunned, noticing the deep gaze on her face. Since he had offered, she couldn’t refuse his kindness. Remembering his aversion to uncleanliness, Xu Yunqi carefully placed her sleeve over her hand to avoid direct skin contact.

Her slender arm rested in his palm, and Pei Muheng realized how delicate and soft a woman’s hand could be, afraid that even the slightest pressure might break it.

Pei Muheng gently helped her down, and once she was steady, they both quickly withdrew their hands.

Xu Yunqi was about to take a step but saw Pei Muheng facing the direction of Fengtian Hall, with no intention of leaving immediately.

Anxious to get to the clinic, Xu Yunqi urged, “Third Master, it’s getting late. Can you please escort me out?”

Hearing this, Pei Muheng turned back, looked at her for a moment, and asked softly, “The court affairs are busy as the year-end approaches, and I have no time to return to the mansion. Are you having any difficulties there?”

Xu Yunqi didn’t know why he was asking this and shook her head, “No, everything is fine.”

Perfectly fine.

She spent her days organizing medical cases and making pills. Except for occasional visits from Pei Mushan, no one disturbed her. She lived a carefree life without her mother-in-law’s supervision or her husband’s demands.

Xu Yunqi noticed that after she spoke, her husband’s eyes drooped slightly, reflecting a clear coldness.

Is he upset?

Sensing her husband’s impatience, Xu Yunqi hurriedly apologized, “I really didn’t mean to trouble you. I just had to retrieve my sachet for an urgent medical case.”

Pei Muheng, seeing her sincere apology, nodded and escorted her out of the palace.

Huang Wei and a young eunuch watched from afar under the corridor. The young eunuch pointed in the direction Xu Yunqi had left and asked, “Last time, the young madam sent a food box, and the Third Master clearly liked it. Why didn’t you remind her to send more when you returned to the mansion?”

Huang Wei squeezed the young eunuch’s nose playfully and said mysteriously, “I don’t meddle in such matters. It’s up to the Third Master to ask for it himself.”

Xu Yunqi had no time to ponder Pei Muheng’s thoughts. She rushed back to the clinic and busied herself with the patient’s acupuncture.

When she finished, the female shopkeeper from the clothing shop sent her off and discreetly pointed to the palace carriage driver waiting by the roadside, “The last incident was a wake-up call for me. Knowing you often go out, I discreetly arranged for someone to work at the prince’s mansion. It happened that the prince’s mansion has a vacancy, so now you have someone to look after you when you go out.”

The female shopkeeper, named Xiu Niang, had been married before. Last year, her husband was caught having an affair, and when Xiu Niang confronted him, he and his mistress attacked her. Xu Yunqi and Yin Xing rescued Xiu Niang and even helped her hire a lawyer to divorce the scoundrel. To cover her tracks, Xu Yunqi used her savings to buy the shop, giving Xiu Niang and her daughter a place to stay.

Xu Yunqi understood her concerns and explained, “Don’t worry. I have already informed my mother-in-law that this shop is part of my dowry. They won’t be suspicious.”

“That makes it even better.”

In the days that followed, Pei Muheng occasionally returned to the mansion. The couple would either have brief conversations under the corridor or dine together at Jinhe Hall. The Princess Consort asked Xu Yunqi to assist Madam Xie while Pei Muheng was secretly planning the Tongzhou case. Pei Muheng never mentioned the medicinal cake, and Xu Yunqi didn’t make it again. The couple never broke through that invisible barrier.

Two days before New Year’s Eve, the Twelfth Prince, Pei Xun, secretly sent a report to Fengtian Hall. This matter was kept very secret, but that evening, news came that Pei Xun had been stabbed in Tongzhou. The case of Chen Mingshan stealing the grain couldn’t be covered up any longer, and it was exposed. Chen Mingshan had always been closely associated with the Crown Prince, and all the blame was placed on him.

Public outrage surged, soldiers were in an uproar, and Prince Qin, backed by public opinion, pressured the emperor to find the mastermind.

The court was in a state of panic, and everyone was fearful.

At that time, the Crown Prince knelt outside Fengtian Hall, trembling and crying, while the four senior ministers of the Inner Cabinet and the six department officials waited for news in Wenzhao Hall.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, the day before New Year’s Eve, Pei Muheng was summoned to Fengtian Hall to deliver the year-end reports from various regions. As he entered, the East Hall was filled with the scent of sandalwood incense, which had been burning all night and was rather pungent.

Pei Muheng walked in without looking sideways and respectfully presented the reports to the emperor.

Wrapped in a dark blue cloak, the emperor leaned against a bright yellow pillow with his eyes closed, resting. The chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies, Liu Xiping, was massaging his shoulders. The emperor raised his hand to his forehead and, after letting Pei Muheng stand for a while, opened his eyes and looked at him, “Heng’er, you’ve arrived…”

He gently pushed away Liu Xiwen’s hand and slowly sat up straighter, his gaze falling on the reports from Pei Muheng, then shifting to a gilded red box on the other side. He casually pointed to it, “Heng’er, do you know what is written in this letter?”

Pei Muheng bowed his head indifferently, “Grandson does not know.”

“Then open it and read it to me…”

Pei Muheng quickly raised his head and saw the emperor looking down, not at him. He glanced at Liu Xiwen, who pretended not to notice, showing no interest in the matter.

Pei Muheng showed some difficulty, “Grandfather…”

The emperor raised his hand again.

Pei Muheng knew there was no avoiding it. He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and opened the box, picking up the envelope inside.

The envelope was inscribed with “Presented by the Twelfth Son, Pei Xun” in familiar handwriting, as Pei Muheng had been close to his Twelfth Uncle, learning reading and hunting from him.

Pei Muheng glanced at the emperor again, who remained expressionless, his thin body slumped on the imperial couch, waiting for Pei Muheng to read the letter.

Pei Muheng used his fingertips to break the seal, took out the letter, and read it carefully. The letter contained over a thousand words, detailing the entire case of Chen Mingshan. Pei Muheng read it all without missing a word, “Your subject humbly prays for the emperor’s peace. Entrusted by Your Majesty with this important task, I have exerted all my efforts, not daring to slacken for a single day. After twenty days of thorough investigation, the case has been fully uncovered…”

Pei Xun did not mention the Crown Prince throughout the letter but attached a document at the end, which was a note from the Crown Prince instructing Chen Mingshan to sell the grain, along with a private letter from the Crown Prince.

Seeing this document, Pei Muheng’s expression tightened slightly. He gently handed the two items back to the emperor.

The emperor, as if he had anticipated this outcome, showed no other emotion besides fatigue.

Pei Xun’s intention was clear: whether to deal with the Crown Prince was entirely up to the emperor’s decision.

Pei Muheng couldn’t help but admire his Twelfth Uncle’s cunning. Now “injured” and recuperating in Tongzhou, Pei Xun avoided the court’s turmoil, throwing the hot potato to the emperor without becoming the villain. No one in the court matched this level of skill.

Yet, while Pei Xun avoided the trouble, Pei Muheng had to face it.

As expected, the emperor placed his hand on the envelope, his sharp eyes suddenly locking onto Pei Muheng. For a moment, he seemed to be looking through him, his expression heavy and contemplative, “Heng’er, what do you think I should do with the Crown Prince?”

Pei Muheng fell to his knees with a thud.

Seeing that Pei Muheng remained silent, the emperor suddenly let out a cold laugh, slowly stood up, and walked to the window. He gazed out at the distant white jade steps of Fengtian Hall, which stretched endlessly to the Meridian Gate. Beyond lay an indistinct mass of figures, and the longer he looked, the blurrier they became, as though a cacophony of voices merged into a roaring wave, crashing against the city gates.

“The people of the fourteen states on the border are fleeing with their families in the snow. From Yulin to Xuanfu, a hundred thousand soldiers are braving the cold, fighting the Great Wu in bloody battles. National affairs lie in rituals and warfare. At this critical moment, the Crown Prince disregards the peril of the nation, seeking only his own gain, seizing power, and profiteering. Is such a person fit to be the ruler of the land?”

The old man’s voice was low and deep, like an ancient string long untouched, producing a timeless melody that slowly echoed in the East Hall.

Inside the imperial study, the blue smoke swirled, and no one responded. The only sound was the faint crying of the Crown Prince outside the main hall.

After a while, the emperor looked back at his grandson, who knelt upright, and asked again, with a heavier tone, “Heng’er, what do you think?”

Pei Muheng shuffled on his knees, bowing again in the emperor’s direction, “Please forgive your grandson’s presumptuousness, Your Majesty.”

This time, the emperor wasn’t as lenient as before. Instead, he brushed the dust from his palms, his expression deep and unreadable, “Speak first.”

A sudden cold wind stirred the palace lanterns at the entrance. The sky grew darker, reflecting in Pei Muheng’s eyes, making them seem as deep as still water, unfathomable. He pondered for a moment as if making a decision, then bowed deeply, “I believe it is not advisable to publicize the Crown Prince’s crimes at this time.”

“Why not?” The emperor asked sharply, his eyes fixed on Pei Muheng.

Pei Muheng met the emperor’s gaze, his eyes tinged with a deep red, “Your Majesty, a major battle at the border is imminent, and the soldiers are unsettled. It is not wise to change the heir now. Moreover, the Crown Prince has been the designated heir since he was ten years old, for over thirty years. He has a solid foundation in the court and many supporters. If something happens to the Crown Prince, the court will be thrown into turmoil, with factions fighting each other. Have you considered the consequences?”

“Therefore, I risk my life to advise Your Majesty to suppress any discussions of changing the heir for the sake of the nation and the people’s safety.” His slender back arched, and his porcelain-like forehead touched the ground, each word firm and resolute.

The imperial study was eerily quiet; not even the emperor’s breathing could be heard – only the sound of the cold wind passed by, rustling the papers on the emperor’s desk.

The emperor gazed at his grandson, who could no longer be simply described as wise and remained silent for a long time.

Half an hour later, a dozen or so high-ranking ministers were summoned to Fengtian Hall. Before they even reached the colonnade, they heard the emperor’s furious voice from inside, “No one in the entire court dares to defend the Crown Prince, not even his own father-in-law. Yet you, a little rascal, have the audacity to tell me it’s just an oversight and that I should not deal with the Crown Prince. Yes, he has been the Crown Prince for thirty years; does he still feel wronged? You are truly brazen. Guards, drag this insolent fool out and give him thirty lashes.”

“And send the Crown Prince back to the Eastern Palace to reflect on his actions…”

Hearing the words “reflect on his actions,” Prince Qin’s steps faltered, almost causing him to fall.

Just reflection?

*

The final snowfall before New Year’s Eve quietly blanketed the entire capital.

Pei Muheng, covered in blood, was carried into Prince Xi’s mansion.

News had already been sent from the palace, and Prince Xi and his wife, along with Xu Yunqi and others, anxiously waited under the corridor.

Seeing their son beaten nearly to death, the Princess Consort staggered, her heart aching so much she almost cursed the emperor. She rushed forward, “My poor son…”

Before she could touch Pei Muheng, Prince Xi stopped her with a frown, “Enough, stop crying. Take him to the study and call for the imperial physician…”

Before he finished speaking, a gentle and serene figure stepped forward, pointing towards the west chamber in the rear courtyard of Qinghui Garden, and said in an almost unquestionable tone, “Take him to the west chamber in the rear courtyard.”

Since Pei Muheng didn’t allow her to go to the study, she had to take him to the west chamber for treatment.

The guards carrying the stretcher glanced at Xu Yunqi and then at Prince Xi.

Prince Xi blinked, looking at his daughter-in-law, who was even calmer than he was, and nodded in a daze, “Follow his wife’s instructions.”

It was only natural for a wife to take care of her husband.

Unconscious, Pei Muheng was sent to the west chamber in Qinghui Garden.

Prince Xi and his wife wanted to follow inside but were stopped at the door by Xu Yunqi.

Usually fragile in the wind, Xu Yunqi stood gently in the breeze and softly said, “Please visit him tomorrow afternoon. Until then, he should not see anyone.”

Princess Consort Xi looked at Xu Yunqi in disbelief. Angrily, she wanted to vent her frustration on Xu Yunqi, but Prince Xi decisively took her away.

“He’s grown up. You should stay calm.”

Not only Prince Xi and his wife but also Huang Wei and Pei Muheng’s guards were all driven away by Yin Xing.

Before leaving, Huang Wei, worried, clung to the door frame and looked at Xu Yunqi anxiously, “Young Madam, the Young Master’s injuries are delicate. Let this old servant handle it…” He hoped Xu Yunqi could get along well with Pei Muheng but worried that if she handled his wounds, Pei Muheng might be furious when he woke up.

Xu Yunqi stood in the corridor, smiling gently, “Can you guarantee that your young master won’t have any scars?”

Tears welled up in Huang Wei’s eyes, but he dared not speak.

Xu Yunqi said, “I can.”