The Imperial Guard’s Revenge
Chapter 112 Princess
Wang Yanqing had never raised a child, but when she looked into the princess’s glossy, dark eyes, a surge of tenderness rose in her heart. Wang Yanqing gently walked over to the grand princess and asked: “May I hold the grand princess?”
The wet nurse, not daring to refuse, quickly placed the grand princess in her cradle and stepped aside, retreating as far as possible.
Wang Yanqing saw the wet nurse’s actions but didn’t take offense. She had grown accustomed to this kind of reaction. Over the past few days, she frequently brought people from the West Department and the Imperial Guards to finish questioning the inner palace. The palace staff were terrified knowing that she was secretly investigating Yang Jinying’s accomplices, seeing Wang Yanqing was more frightening than facing a demon.
If they were targeted by the West Department or the Imperial Guards, there were still strict laws for interrogation. But if they were targeted by Wang Yanqing, a silent judgement could result in death by treason. Wang Yanqing possessed the ability to read minds, and she didn’t need evidence, she only had to claim that someone was lying. How could those palace maids and eunuchs then prove they weren’t lying?
The lower-ranking palace staff lived in constant fear. Even though Wang Yanqing was beautiful and gentle, in their eyes, she was no different from the king of hell.
Wang Yanqing lowered her head and played with the child. The grand princess didn’t yet understand what was happening to her, but babies naturally had the ability to distinguish between good and evil. When she saw the woman standing beside her with a face as kind as a Bodhisattva, and a gentle smile, she immediately smiled back at Wang Yanqing, her tiny hand grasping Wang Yanqing’s finger with strength.
Wang Yanqing looked at the grand princess’s smile and felt her heart soften. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. At such a young age, this child had already lost all her protection, and her birth mother was brutally murdered on charges of treason. If the grand princess was adopted by a concubine with impure intentions, she would be used as a tool to vie for favor. Once the emperor’s guilt toward the grand princess faded, what kind of fate would await her?
Just thinking about it made Wang Yanqing worried.
Assistant Zhang entered from the front, and when he saw Wang Yanqing coaxing the grand princess, he froze for a moment. The wind in the second month was gradually becoming gentler, and the window was half open, letting the spring breeze fill the room. Wang Yanqing stood to the side in the sunlight, gently playing with the child, looking as beautiful and ethereal as a celestial fairy, a divine empress.
Assistant Zhang blinked slightly, but then he remembered that the woman before him was not some harmless heavenly beauty. She possessed the most dreaded weapon, one that could kill from a thousand miles away without leaving a trace. He recalled the tragic fate of Empress Fang and, with a slight shift in expression, the smile on his face gradually froze. After concealing all his thoughts, he stepped forward and said: “Madam Lu, there are some matters ahead. Please come with me for a moment.”
When Wang Yanqing heard Assistant Zhang’s voice, she knew the main event was about to begin. She could only put down the grand princess and follow Assistant Zhang. Ever since Lu Heng had been promoted to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, people in the inner palace had become even more wary of her. Whenever they saw her, they would carefully address her as, “Madam Supreme Commander.” Lu Heng’s official rank seemed to only have risen by a level, but the meaning behind them was worlds apart.
Wang Yanqing also realized that, whether she liked it or not, she was now seen as Lu Heng’s wife in the eyes of the world. Even if she later tried to distance herself from him, everyone would still think they were simply staging a ruse.
Lu Heng was undoubtedly the most difficult intelligence chief in the Ming Dynasty, and his skills in psychological manipulation were refined to an art. Knowing that she didn’t respond well to force, he silently and imperceptibly infiltrated her thoughts, leading her to gradually accept the identity of Madam Lu.
Once someone grew accustomed to something, whether they initially resisted or liked it, they would eventually accept it. Wang Yanqing was now the prey caught in Lu Heng’s invisible web.
Wang Yanqing was led behind a screen. On the other side, separated by a curtain, she could see the floor scattered with colorful brocade skirts. She looked back at Assistant Zhang, but he had already stepped aside, standing behind a vermilion pillar, hands in his sleeves, eyes lowered, and head bowed.
Wang Yanqing had no choice but to step forward on her own. She lifted the curtain slightly and quietly peered outside. Just now, she had recognized the voices, and now that she saw their faces, she was even more struck by the lively atmosphere.
It seemed the emperor was about to decide who would adopt the grand princess. Almost all the palace concubines were present. Not to mention popular candidates such as Empress Fang, Senior Concubine Wang, and Imperial Concubine Du Kang, many concubines who had little presence in the harem also rushed over.
The palace was lonely, and adopting the grand princess was a deal that had no downsides. Even if they couldn’t use the child to gain favor, raising a child would still provide some comfort, a source of emotional attachment. Assistant Zhang personally escorted Wang Yanqing inside, but then remained silent. From this angle, she could clearly see the concubines’ expressions, and the emperor’s intentions were not hard to guess.
He deliberately gathered all the concubines in one place and asked Wang Yanqing to judge who genuinely wanted to adopt the grand princess and who sought to use her to gain favor. After the death of Imperial Concubine Duan, the emperor never openly expressed any thoughts, but in reality, he was perfectly clear about everything.
The person was already dead, so it was useless to say more. Instead, the emperor’s sympathy and guilt towards Imperial Concubine Duan had undoubtedly been transferred to the grand princess. After all, the grand princess was the emperor’s own flesh and blood. While he pretended not to care about Imperial Concubine Duan’s matter, he would never allow anyone to harm the grand princess.
Wang Yanqing was not worried about being discovered by the concubines. Qianqing Palace was entirely under the emperor’s control, and since Assistant Zhang dared bring Wang Yanqing here, he certainly wasn’t afraid of being caught. With that concern put aside, Wang Yanqing focused her attention on the people inside.
Empress Fang, still wearing long golden finger coverings, appeared dignified and graceful. However, with her fingers interlaced and her body half-turned, it was clear that her true feelings were not as calm as she projected. Senior Concubine Wang sat across from Empress Fang, lightly lifting her teacup to sip from it, then carefully dabbing her lips with a handkerchief. Her demeanor didn’t suggest that she was vying for anything.
Imperial Concubine Du Kang and Imperial Concubine Lu Jing sat on either side. Although they sat facing each other, their gazes avoided meeting, making them seem indifferent to one another. However, Wang Yanqing noticed that Imperial Concubine Du Kang was nervously picking her nails, and while Imperial Concubine Lu Jing’s expression was calm, she subtly furrowed her brows.
A few other concubines were seated further down, and Wang Yanqing vaguely recognized them as those who were less favored. There was a gleam in their eyes, but their postures were relaxed. The one sitting at the very end of the row, however, was different, constantly rubbing her hands together, clasping and unclasping them, and frequently glancing in the emperor’s direction.
Before anyone had spoken, Wang Yanqing roughly understood the attitudes of the concubines. People could speak in intricate and complex ways to convey meaning, but their body was the first to reveal their true thoughts, followed by facial expressions, and only then by words.
Words were often filled with lies, while the body unconsciously betrayed true feelings.
The emperor’s back was to Wang Yanqing, so she couldn’t see his face. She only heard his voice emerge from behind the screen: “The grand princess is young and has lost her mother. I pity her for being so lonely and weak, so I had Assistant Zhang bring her to the Qianqing Palace. But the Qianqing Palace is too bustling, and not a suitable place to raise a young child. A princess cannot be reaised by eunuchs. I called you here today to ask, who among you is willing to take the grand princess as your ward and raise her?”
As soon as the emperor finished speaking, the eyes of the concubines in the hall seemed to come alive. Many of them were eager to speak, but in the end, Empress Fang was the first to speak up: “Your Majesty, as Empress, it is my duty to oversee the harem and to raise the princesses. I am willing to take the grand princess under my care.”
The eyes of the other concubines became increasingly eager, but at this moment, Senior Concubine Wang gently set her teacup down and, speaking calmly and unhurriedly, said: “Your Majesty, the Empress may not be aware, but taking care of a young child is a tedious and troublesome task. As is the mother of the country, the empress has many responsibilities, overseeing the affairs of the harem, managing the silkworms and other rituals. She likely doesn’t have the time to tend to such trivial matters. As for me, I have no such burdens and am willing to relieve the emperor’s worries. Moreover, the second prince and the grand princess are only a few months apart in age. It would be ideal to raise both children together.”
The eldest prince passed away young and was posthumously made the Prince of Ai Chong. The second prince became, in practical terms, the eldest son. Senior Concubine Wang had a son by her side, and she herself was promoted to the Head of the Four Imperial Concubines. As long as the second prince grew up safely and wasn’t extremely lacking in talent or ability, she would undoubtedly be the birth mother of the Crown Prince. Perhaps, when the emperor chooses an heir, he may make the second prince the legitimate eldest son for the sake of appearance.
Senior Concubine Wang was very confident and even dared to challenge the empress. The other two concubines, the mothers of the remaining princes, weren’t as composed as Senior Concubine Wang. Imperial Concubine Du Kang quickly spoke up: “The second prince is frail and sickly and must be taken care of. How can you be distracted by other matters? The third prince is strong and healthy, but he cries so loudly that it’s unbearable. I’ve heard the grand princess is very well-behaved and doesn’t cry or make a fuss at night. If there was an obedient and sensible sister to set an example, the third prince would surely learn some good habits. How about I raise the grand princess instead?”
When Imperial Concubine Lu Jing heard this, she immediately retorted: “Imperial Concubine Du Kang, what you said is not appropriate. The third prince’s crying and tantrums is unbearable to adults, wouldn’t it also disturb a child? Young children are most afraid of being startled. Once one cries, the other will likely be scared and cry too. The fourth prince is quiet and gentle, and he will surely get along with the grand princess. I am willing to raise the grand princess. If His Majesty is gracious enough, I will treat her as my own child. Whatever the fourth prince has, the grand princess will have as well.”
Imperial Concubine Lu Jing and Imperial Concubine Du Kang were bitter rivals. They never got along even before they were made imperial concubines, and now that they had each given birth to a son and been granted titles almost one after the other, their rivalry only intensified. Senior Concubine Wang’s son was the eldest, naturally enjoying the advantages of precedence and etiquette. Whether or not the grand princess was present didn’t matter much to the Changchun Palace, it was just an extra decoration. But Imperial Concubine Du Kang was different. Her son ranked third, neither the legitimate son nor the eldest, so she had to fight for more leverage to sway the emperor towards her son.
Imperial Concubine Du Kang lightly covered her lips and slowly said: “Imperial Concubine Lu Jing, what you’re saying is that only you would treat the grand princess as your own child? Are you implying that the empress and Senior Concubine Wang wouldn’t do the same? Regarding legitimacy, the empress is the one who holds that, as for seniority, it’s Senior Concubine Wang. How can we skip over the second and third princes and let the grand princess play with the fourth prince instead?”
Imperial Concubine Du Kang’s words were extremely provocative, subtly putting the empress and Senior Concubine Wang in the spotlight. She wanted to sit back and watch them fight for the position of the grand princess’s guardian without directly confronting Imperial Concubine Lu Jing herself. No matter where the custody of the grand princess ended up, it could not fall into Imperial Concubine Lu Jing’s hands.
The concubines exchanged sarcastic remarks in the front, secretly despise each other yet maintaining a facade of civility, with both open and veiled jabs making the scene quite lively. Meanwhile, Wang Yanqing already lowered the curtain. Assistant Zhang raised an eyebrow seeing this. Had she figured it out already? Wouldn’t she want to take a closer look?
In a low voice, Assistant Zhang tentatively asked: “Madam Lu?”
Wang Yanqing nodded, signaling that they could leave. Just as they were about to exit, a faint, weak voice suddenly came from behind: “Your Majesty.”
Her voice was tight and trembling, and from the sound of it, one could tell she was incredibly nervous. Assistant Zhang didn’t pay much attention to it. Clearly, she was a low-ranking concubine with neither favor nor ability. The grand princess was the emperor’s most cherished child, and she would surely be entrusted to a favored concubine for her upbringing. How could someone from such a low rank be considered?
However, Wang Yanqing stopped and signaled for Assistant Zhang to wait. She quietly walked over to the screen, lifted the curtain, and looked behind.
The one speaking was a delicate concubine, and Wang Yanqing remembered her name was Shen Xi. She was the one sitting at the very end of the row. Wang Yanqing had noticed earlier that she seemed unusually nervous, and now she realized that the concubine was also vying for the custody of the grand princess.
The concubines vying for the position on stage were all figures of authority like Empress Fang and Senior Concubine Wang, while this woman was a small concubine with no backing. How could she dare speak out like this?
The other consorts outside the screen clearly shared the same thought. Imperial Concubine Du Kang let out a light laugh and slowly waved her handkerchief, saying: “Concubine Shen Xi, you have neither extraordinary talent nor experience in raising children. How dare you compete with the empress and Senior Concubine Wang?”
Her words were quite impolite, but there was some truth to them. Concubine Shen Xi had neither favor nor power, so what gave her the audacity to compete for the most coveted position in the harem?
Concubine Shen Xi squeezed her fingers tightly, gathering all her courage to speak: “I am foolish and dull, and have never raised a child, so I don’t dare to compare myself with the empress, Senior Concubine Wang, Imperial Concubine Du Kang, or Imperial Concubine Lu Jing. But I truly love children. When I was at home, I raised my younger siblings. I have nothing to offer, but if I could raise the grand princess, I would do everything in my power to care for her.”
Imperial Concubine Du Kang covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh. Unlike Du Kang, the others weren’t so blatant, but their eyes were full of contempt. Empress Fang didn’t even bother to glance at Concubine Shen Xi, thinking of her as nothing more than a circus clown who dared to make a fool of herself. In Empress Fang’s eyes, her real rivals were Senior Concubine Wang and Imperial Concubine Du Kang, what was Concubine Shen Xi to her?
Assistant Zhang stood behind Wang Yanqing with his hands clasped, unsure why Wang Yanqing had returned to witness this. But since the emperor hadn’t given any instructions, he didn’t get involved. After Wang Yanqing lowered the curtain, Assistant Zhang finally asked: “Madam Lu, are we done?”
Wang Yanqing nodded slowly and said in a low voice: “We can leave now. Thank you, Eunuch Zhang.”
Wang Yanqing was brought back to the inner hall, where the grand princess lay in the sunlight, playfully reaching for the beams, carefree and unaware that her fate was at crossroads. Different foster mothers could decide the course of her entire life. Wang Yanqing watched the giggling princess and sighed softly again.
After waiting for a while in the inner hall, a eunuch finally came to relay a message. Wang Yanqing then walked back to the palace she was in earlier. The concubines had already left, leaving only a room filled with lingering fragrance, and the emperor who was sipping tea at the head of the table. Wang Yanqing passed through the screen and stood respectfully, greeting the emperor: “I pay my respects to the emperor.”
The emperor didn’t even lift his eyelids and asked: “Did you see everything just now?”
Wang Yanqing nodded slightly: “Yes.”
“Who do you think is sincere?”
This was indeed a tricky question, one wrong move, and it could offend the noble ladies in the harem. Both the eunuchs inside and outside the palace subconsciously held their breath. Assistant Zhang lifted his eyelids and glanced at Wang Yanqing, silently waiting to see how Wang Yanqing would respond.
Since the palace coup, the emperor had become increasingly difficult to read, his emotions no longer showed on his face. Even Assistant Zhang could not be sure of what the emperor was thinking. Assistant Zhang served the emperor closely these days, and witnessed the strategies of various concubines firsthand, but the emperor hadn’t expressed any clear opinion, leaving Assistant Zhang unsure of whom the emperor actually wanted to raise the grand princess.
Having spent so much time in the palace, Assistant Zhang was accustomed to trying to read the emperor’s mind. He naturally believed that one should say what the emperor wanted to hear. Assistant Zhang thought, since the issue arose so suddenly, Lu Heng didn’t have the time to explain things to his wife, and Wang Yanqing would likely face a difficult situation today.
However, Wang Yanqing’s expression remained calm, and without much thought, she spoke: “I don’t understand people’s hearts, nor do I know how to distinguish between true feelings and false ones. I only know that the empress seems tense, and her heart may not be at ease. The Senior Concubine is detached, and although she is fighting for the grand princess, whether she raises her or not does not matter to her. Imperial Concubine Du Kang is anxious and really wants to win the right to raise the grand princess but is more afraid of it falling into the hands of Imperial Concubine Lu Jing. Imperial Concubine Lu Jing has been frowning from the beginning, which is a sign of concentration. She is very concerned about the people in the room, but as for who it is, am limited by my angle and cannot clearly see.”
Wang Yanqing’s position did not allow her to see the emperor, so her words implied that it was obvious who Imperial Concubine Lu Jing was paying attention to. The emperor put down his teacup and gave a faint, almost imperceptible scoff: “So, among all the concubines in the harem, each one speaks earnestly, but none of them are sincere?”
The emperor’s use of “sincere” was ambiguous, was it referring to their feelings toward the grand princess, or toward the emperor himself? Wang Yanqing paused for a moment, as if not fully understanding, but she spoke according to her original thought: “The grand princess is lovely. Of course, there are people who truly care for her. The last one, Concubine Shen Xi, had a very sincere attitude. It is obvious she genuinely likes children, not just to win favor.”
The emperor’s fingers traced the rim of the teacup, but he did not respond. Wang Yanqing stood quietly in the hall, waiting. Outside, a red-robed eunuch hurried in and bowed: “Your Majesty, Master Lu has arrived.”
The emperor waved his hand, signaling to admit him. Wang Yanqing was about to leave to avoid being an outsider, but since Lu Heng was her nominal husband, she didn’t need to. She simply stayed and waited for him to enter. When Lu Heng entered the hall, he didn’t look at Wang Yanqing but naturally stopped beside her. He cupped his hands and said: “Your Majesty, the list has been compiled.”
Wang Yanqing only knew that Lu Heng had been very busy these past few days, but she didn’t know exactly what he was occupied with. Now, it seemed that they were both doing similar things, she was investigating the palace concubines, while Lu Heng was looking into court officials.
Lu Heng presented the list, and a eunuch took it with both hands, carrying it to the emperor. The emperor took the list and glanced through it, then said: “You’ve worked hard. There’s nothing much here for you to do. Why don’t you return to the South Fusi and check on things there?”
These past few days, Lu Heng had stayed beside the emperor almost all day, monitoring anyone who might pose a threat. But as long as he remained in the palace, the affairs of South Fusi had to be delayed. Now that the emperor’s health had improved significantly and he no longer suffered from nightmares all day, Lu Heng could finally relax a little.
Lu Heng acknowledged the emperor’s command and, naturally, led Wang Yanqing away. Although Lu Heng was ordered to return to the South Fusi, the Imperial Guards answered to him, so he gave orders for them to wait. He would send Wang Yanqing back before leaving.
Once they were on a safer stretch of road, Lu Heng asked: “Did the emperor ask you about the grand princess?”
Never underestimate the intelligence network of the Imperial Guards. As soon as a concubine left on one side, Lu Heng would know about it from another. Wang Yanqing nodded. Lu Heng raised an eyebrow, a meaningful expression crossing his face: “What did you say?”
“I told the truth.” Wang Yanqing said calmly, “Empress Fang and the grand princess’ birth mother had a grudge against each other, so it would be impossible for her to adopt the grand princess. Senior Concubine Wang, Imperial Concubine Du Kang, and Imperial Concubine Lu Jing each have their own children, and their interest in the grand princess is to use her to gain leverage for their sons. Other minor concubines came hoping for good luck, some want to use the princess to win favor, and others are just bored and want a child to pass the time. Only Concubine Shen Xi seemed the most sincere.”
Lu Heng didn’t need to hesitate and immediately revealed Concubine Shen Xi’s background: “She’s from the prominent Shen family of Wuxing in Jiangnan. She has family members who hold positions in the Imperial Observatory in Nanjing. She, too, lost her mother at a young age. Her father neglected his duties, and she raised her younger brother and half-sister herself.”
Wang Yanqing nodded, finally able to relax a little: “I had a feeling she wasn’t lying. Fortunately, that was true.”
Lu Heng stared at the side of Wang Yanqing’s face, his gaze deep and unreadable, as though lost in thought. After a moment, Wang Yanqing, still worried about the grand princess, took the rare initiative to talk to Lu Heng: “Do you think the emperor will give the princess to Concubine Shen Xi?”
“How would I know?” Lu Heng laughed softly, though his expression remained enigmatic, “But once the emperor makes up his mind, the decision will come quickly. We’ll know the result by the day after tomorrow at the latest.”
Wang Yanqing’s heart hung in suspense, and she could only sigh upon hearing this. She didn’t want to get involved in the chaotic palace struggles. All she could do was speak the truth. As for how the emperor would decide, there was nothing she could do about it.
Lu Heng’s eyes, like rippling water, watched her, his smile faint and ambiguous as he asked: “Why the sigh?”
“I only pity the princess.” Wang Yanqing replied, “No matter how good the others are, they can never replace her own mother. No matter what the outcome is, the one who will be hurt the most is the child.”
Lu Heng lowered his eyelids and gave a subtle smile, slowly taking Wang Yanqing’s hand: “If you really want to help her, why don’t we have a child of our own? If it’s a daughter, we could have her become the grand princess’s companion. With our family’s influence, no matter who adopts the princess, her situation in the palace would be much better.”
Wang Yanqing blurted out without thinking: “What if it’s a son?”
Lu Heng’s smile deepened, and his mesmerizing eyes narrowed slightly: “If it’s a son, then he can only marry the princess.”
Wang Yanqing was taken aback. Would Lu Heng really be willing to let his son marry the princess? She quickly recalled that in the Ming Dynasty, outside relatives of the imperial family were prohibited from meddling in politics. Whoever married a princess could be guaranteed wealth and comfort for life, but it would also ruin their official career. Then, Wang Yanqing suddenly realized with shock: “Who said I wanted to have a child with you?”