Third brother, there’s a worthy minister we need to invite, would you contribute some money?
Outside, there were still people around, and fires could not be lit in the Wenyuan Pavilion. Moreover, Mo Li felt that the material of that set of silver needles was not good enough. Solving the Second Prince’s meridian problem was not as simple as just sticking a few needles.
“Your hundred taels would be better used to save your life!”
Mo Li said without even lifting his head, “Your body will need to take medicine for at least three years, and just the medicinal herbs alone will cost more than a hundred taels. If you are lucky enough to survive, once you catch a cold or overwork yourself, you’ll immediately need to take medicine to keep yourself alive.”
The Second Prince’s expression froze, and he blurted out, “I had no intention of seeking treatment.”
“What, you don’t want to live anymore?” Meng Qi, with his arms folded, sized up the Second Prince, thinking to himself that this guy must be afraid of taking medicine.
Then, thinking of the bitter medicines the doctor had once boiled, Meng Qi actually felt a chill down his spine.
The Second Prince said with a dark face, “I rebelled and stormed the palace; now, if the Emperor does not die, I die. Why bother taking any medicine?”
Meng Qi, stroking his chin with his fingers, said with interest, “Right, that’s the logic. Too bad the price you offered isn’t enough; I can’t help you assassinate the Emperor.”
“Are you joking?”
The Second Prince stared at Meng Qi in shock, having never seen such a greedy person before.
Is the throne not enough to satisfy this man?
Meng Qi sneered, “Why are you looking at me like that? Let’s be practical; the throne is impossible. Do I look like I think my life is too easy, wanting to snatch this mess for myself?”
“…Then what do you want?”
Meng Qi smiled and gestured with his hand, “I hear all of you brothers want to kill the Emperor, but only you are paying. Don’t you think that’s unfair?”
The Second Prince looked woodenly at Meng Qi.
Oh, so he just thinks the money is too little.
“What do you mean by staring at me without speaking?” Meng Qi continued to tease him.
“I’m wondering how a wise minister from the previous dynasty could look like this?”
The Second Prince looked at the clothes Meng Qi was wearing, which seemed very ordinary. He hadn’t noticed before, mainly because Meng Qi’s extraordinary demeanor had diverted his attention. He asked seriously, “Does it seem like Master Meng’s life is not going well? Could it be that all your money is spent on your face, to maintain such youthful looks?”
“Pfft.”
Meng Qi turned his head in annoyance, and Mo Li had no smile on his face, as if the sound had not come from him.
However, there were only three people in the pavilion.
“Doctor.” Meng Qi called out softly, very displeased.
Mo Li, meeting Meng Qi’s eyes, for some reason thought of the chubby one in the secret passage who complained in a milky voice.
He couldn’t muster up any admiration for the Golden Dragon, nor could he grasp the feeling of yearning for his beloved. It would be better to take a sand rat back to Zhushan County…
“Hmm, maintaining black hair and a youthful face does cost quite a bit.” Mo Li admitted he did know a few beauty-preserving recipes, and the medicinal herbs were not cheap. The recipes couldn’t be consumed indiscriminately; they had to be paired with medicinal diets and daily habits.
All in all, practicing martial arts was the most worry-free beauty-preserving technique.
The Second Prince was half-convinced.
Mo Li spoke slowly and naturally had a trustworthy demeanor. The Second Prince really wanted to believe the doctor’s words, but having youthful looks to the extent of Meng Qi was almost demonic!
The most popular secret remedies in the palace were fertility and beauty-preserving techniques.
Although the Second Prince had never taken them, he had seen the Empress and the princes’ consorts consume such things as bird’s nest, peach gum, and red dates, which were especially expensive, but the effects were not that impressive.
“Stop talking, there’s some noise outside.”
Mo Li raised his hand to signal, and the Second Prince had to shut his mouth.
The imperial guards gradually returned, leaving only two to stand guard outside Wenyuan Pavilion as a show, while the others went into the side rooms to slack off and rest.
Their voices were not loud, and two floors separated them, but Mo Li, intent on listening, could still make out the gist of their conversation.
The Imperial Guards were not discussing anyone else but the Second Prince, Lu Min.
“Your mother has been imprisoned?” Mo Li turned to say.
Meng Qi, like Mo Li, was slightly surprised.
He had thought the Second Prince’s birth mother was already dead, hence his recklessness in plotting rebellion without any concerns.
“You heard the Imperial Guards talking? Hmph, I heard them long before.” The Second Prince said sullenly, clenching his right fist, his eyes filled with resentment, “Yesterday, when I realized things were going south, I took some people and hid within the palace. The Imperial Guards everywhere were saying my mother has already been thrown into the Heavenly Prison.”
Mo Li felt his tone and expression were a bit off and asked timely, “Then what?”
“…What then, I paid it no mind.” The Second Prince said fiercely.
Meng Qi yawned with his arms folded, and Mo Li remained silent.
After a while, the Second Prince couldn’t hold it in any longer and grumbled, “Why aren’t you scolding me?”
Meng Qi wondered, “We’re neither relatives nor friends, why should I scold you?”
The Second Prince glared, muttering, “Just… for being disloyal, unfilial, not caring about one’s birth mother, and the like.”
Mo Li indeed thought this prince was a bit lacking in brains, not clever, and moreover, acted rashly. It was quite normal that Lu Zhang suddenly made his move, and the Second Prince didn’t manage to take everyone away in time.
However, since the Second Prince asked, Mo Li casually inquired, “You weren’t prepared in advance?”
Plotting rebellion with external forces, and not being afraid of dying is one thing, but not preparing a way out for others?
The Second Prince’s face turned ugly, and after a long while, he stammered out that the prince consort he married had betrayed him, and his mother’s situation was even more complicated.
“If she knew what I was doing, it wouldn’t have come to my wife betraying me.”
“…”
Mo Li silently thought, the palace was entirely different from what he imagined.
Meng Qi glanced at the physician and whispered secretly, “The Chu Dynasty’s royal family is not like this, perhaps it’s just his Lu family!”
Although the Second Prince couldn’t hear what they were saying, he could guess some from Mo Li’s expression. He angrily turned his head and lay on the small couch, refusing to speak any further.
Mo Li simply continued to listen to the Imperial Guards’ discussions.
In the Imperial Guards’ mouths, the Second Prince was ignorant and constantly punished.
Whether it was for not learning his letters and being punished by the Hanlin scholars, or being punished by the Emperor or Concubine, leading to being grounded, he had copied hundreds of scriptures from childhood to adulthood. How such a useless prince gathered the courage to rebel was beyond Mo Li.
Mo Li guessed that this concubine must be the Second Prince’s birth mother.
The Imperial Guards had limited knowledge, repeating disdainful remarks about the Second Prince. Indeed, if they could know the secret of the discord between the prince and his mother, it’s likely the civil and military officials of the outer court would know too.
The ochre palace walls concealed many secrets; without any incident, these secrets would be forever sealed within the silent palaces, slowly decaying.
Mo Li shook his head inwardly; seeing the Second Prince lying straight, he couldn’t help but think of the sickly Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace.
— Who would want such a mess; indeed, it’s a death one cannot afford.
They had already met the Second Prince, and the Sixth Prince as well; likely, the remaining Third Prince couldn’t withstand the pressure either.
“Reports from all over, with hundreds arriving daily, plus the ones from the court… A one-day delay might be manageable, but a three-day delay could cause trouble. With the capital under martial law and the imperial city locked down, Lu Zhang could last until this evening at most. He must summon the Prime Minister, to give them some reassurance, otherwise, the entire capital will be in panic.”
Meng Qi leaned against the wall, fiddling with two gold pieces in his hand, saying nonchalantly, “I wonder where Lu Zhang has taken the Prime Minister and the direct officials from the Wenyuan Pavilion. After all, the throne can change hands, but the core of the court cannot suddenly lose members, much less die off completely. We’ll just wait in the Wenyuan Pavilion, those important officials of the Qi Dynasty will show up sooner or later.”
The Second Prince suddenly sat up, his eyes shining as he asked, “Then by following Prime Minister Jiang and the others, we can find him, and then we can take action?!”
“He” of course referred to Lu Zhang.
Meng Qi said with a smile that was not quite a smile, “We haven’t agreed on a price yet.”
“No, you want to find the Emperor, and you would go even without money.”
The Second Prince was not foolish; this logic he could still follow, and he suspiciously watched the two before him.
—Unwilling to assassinate the Emperor, then what to do seeing the Emperor, it couldn’t be to rob the Emperor?
“Let me tell you the truth, I find your father the Emperor displeasing to the eye, wanting to knock out his teeth and add some nice colors to his face, shades of blue and purple look better, ensuring no one can recognize him, even in dragon robes he would be suspected of being a rebel.”
With each word from Meng Qi, the Second Prince’s eyes lit up more, until at the end, he was practically ready to jump up in approval.
“Seeing as you’re the brother of the Crown Prince, I’ll give you a chance,” Meng Qi said with a smile brimming on his face.
Mo Li had a vague guess.
Sure enough, the next moment he heard Meng Qi start to make an offer: “I’ll take you with us, one punch, one kick, for a fee of a hundred silver taels, how about that?”
The Second Prince struggled with his expression, his gaze shifting uncertainly.
It was clear he wanted to agree, but his rationality prevailed, successfully stopping him from nodding.
“Bare-handed? Can’t it be changed to one slash?” The Second Prince tried to bargain.
“That slash of yours is meant to pierce the Emperor’s heart, isn’t it!” Meng Qi ruthlessly exposed him.
“…So what if it is! I’m going to die anyway, can’t I vent my anger?”
At this point, Mo Li interjected: “Who said you’re going to die?”
The Second Prince stiffly said, “After you hit the Emperor and leave me there, won’t I only have death left?”
Hearing this, Meng Qi said irritably, “Then you write another IOU of a hundred silver taels, and we’ll take you out of the palace?”
The Second Prince hesitated for a moment, then actually refused: “I have no money to repay, and with my brother in poor health, if he’s gone, there’s no one to help me pay.”
Mo Li was speechless, and Meng Qi raised an eyebrow, “Don’t you still have brothers?”
“They can hardly save themselves, plus they look down on me on normal days, calling me reckless and foolish,” the Second Prince sneered with disdain, “I think they’re all talk and no action!”
Meng Qi sighed from the bottom of his heart: “It seems whether it’s assassination or beating up, I’m destined to only make a hundred silver notes off you, not a penny more?”
“What else?”
The Second Prince thought for a while, then tentatively said, “The sixth brother is not in the capital, the third brother should be under guard by the Imperial Guards, shall I draw a map for you to ask him for money? He’s not married yet, probably has more savings than I do.”
Mo Li: “…”
The princes of the Lu family were not necessarily brotherly, seeing how quickly he was ready to sell out his own brother.
***
Imperial Palace, Changle Palace.
This place is at the northernmost end of the Imperial City. It was a separate palace long ago, but with the gradual expansion of the Imperial City through the dynasties, Changle Palace was eventually encompassed within the Imperial Palace.
Although nominally it belongs to the harem, it is distanced from other palaces, being an independent complex with a sizable area. Inside the palace, there are gardens and lakes, meticulously maintained, with high standards of palace specifications, beyond what common concubines could occupy. Thus, Changle Palace became the residence of the Empress Dowagers and Imperial Concubines.
Currently, the Qi Dynasty has no Empress Dowager, so Changle Palace has no master. Only in the west wing of the palace, some young and beautiful low-ranking concubines live there. Anyway, once the Emperor passes away, the women of the palace will have to move here, so it doesn’t really break the rules.
Since yesterday, the palace gates have been locked, with Imperial Guards coming and going outside.
The few concubines staying in Changle Palace knew the Emperor was here, but they couldn’t leave or send messages, only able to wait in trepidation.
Speaking of concubines, the highest rank among these women was only fifth rank.
In the Qi Dynasty’s harem, such a level was the norm.
The women of the harem were not as the stories suggest, constantly jealous and undermining each other. Of course, such things existed, but their minds were not solely occupied with these matters. Rather than saying they were concubines, it was more accurate to say they were officials.
They received stipends and had ranks, and were not merely sitting in the palace all day dressing up, eating, drinking, and waiting for the Emperor’s visit. There were many tasks within the inner palace, from top to bottom, everyone had their duties and responsibilities to manage. Those who had nothing to do were either despised or too ill.
Being an official naturally involved much learning, and promotions or demotions were common.
When the harem lacked order and the concubines didn’t need to bother with management, it meant that the eunuchs held the power, diluting the authority that should belong to these women.
The Qi Dynasty was unique in that the eunuchs did not flaunt their power in the outer court but in the inner palace.
The reason was the palace lacked not only an Empress but even “wives” were few, with only one who was of a meek disposition, unable to produce a worthy son, incapable of managing or daring to manage affairs. She was nothing more than a yes-woman, agreeing with whatever the Emperor or his trusted eunuchs said, without any ideas of her own.
Consequently, the concubines below her had no recourse.
Furthermore, with the Emperor being unpredictable, there wasn’t a single woman in the palace who dared to speak up based on her status, making the inner palace even more stagnant, where everyone only looked out for themselves without concern for others.
Although Lu Zhang had the bad habit of beating concubines, not everyone had been beaten, nor did he rage every day.
Those who hardly saw the Emperor once a year or half a year were usually unaware of this.
The few concubines in Changle Palace were unaware, thinking that Wang Cairen, the oldest and highest-ranked among them who was carried out with a broken forehead by the eunuchs and palace maids, had angered the Emperor, making them even less willing to come forward.
“Have you not found the Second Prince yet?” A cold voice came from the inner chamber.
“Yes…”
“What about the Wang Cairen?”
With humble eyes, a eunuch reported, “By His Majesty’s order, she has been detained in the east side hall of Changle Palace, crying since yesterday, with no one coming to her rescue.”
“Rebel!”
Lu Zhang slammed the table fiercely.
He was tall and imposing, with thick eyebrows and sharp eyes, exuding a commanding presence.
Having been the Emperor for many years, he carried an aura of untouchability.
Even the usually authoritative eunuch trembled slightly in Lu Zhang’s presence, maintaining a respectful posture as he spoke softly, “The Imperial Guards have also caught two eunuchs from the Eastern Palace outside, insisting they were out to summon the Imperial Physician and are waiting for Your Majesty’s decision.”
“Let’s not talk about the Eastern Palace’s matters.” Lu Zhang frowned deeply, then added, “Order the Imperial Physician to treat the Crown Prince.”
The eunuch bowed and was about to leave when Lu Zhang called him back.
“Summon the two Prime Ministers and the commander of the Imperial Guards, and bring the Third Prince over…”
“Your Majesty?”
Lu Zhang coldly stated, “Since the Crown Prince is no longer suitable, let’s appoint the Third Prince as the heir. Isn’t this exactly what those officials want?”
The eunuch dared not reply, bowing deeply and backing away.
Halfway out, he nearly collided with another eunuch entering.
The former glared at the latter, who quickly made a gesture and lowered his head.
“What’s going on?” Lu Zhang noticed the disturbance at the door.
The eunuch quickly replied respectfully, “Your Majesty, it’s Wang Cairen’s misfortune.”
“Misfortune” naturally meant she could no longer enjoy her fortunes.
Lu Zhang paid it no mind, waving his hand to dismiss them.
The authoritative eunuch, once outside, secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked with a stern face, “She just got kicked, how did she end up dead? Isn’t this troublesome at such a time?”
“The Imperial Physician said, when Wang Cairen fell, her forehead struck the corner of a table…”
The following eunuch hesitated to speak further, busy fanning the eunuch-in-charge.
“Never mind, never mind, go invite Prime Minister Jiang, Prime Minister Zhang, and Minister Jiang for politics. I’ll go invite His Highness, the Third Prince… Ah, truly misjudged the situation. Who would have thought, after all these twists and turns, it’s the Third Prince who might ascend the throne in the future. We must not neglect this, we still need to curry favor.”
The chief eunuch hurriedly took people and rushed to the residence of the Third Prince.
Only to find that the person was gone.
No one knew where he went, not even the imperial guards surrounding the prince’s residence.
The chief eunuch was drenched in sweat, frantically stomping his feet, almost turning the nearby area upside down in his search.
In the end, with no other choice, he had to reluctantly head back, feeling as if his head was on the line, encountering a bitter expression upon meeting the eunuchs sent to invite the several important ministers.
“Chief Xu, where is the Third Prince?”
Not mentioning this would have been fine, but once it was brought up, the chief eunuch became furious.
Yet, in front of several court ministers, he couldn’t erupt, only managing to force a smile and said: “My lords, please wait a moment, this old servant will report to His Majesty.”
Saying so, he hurried into the main hall first, while the other eunuchs, sensing something was amiss, wisely invited the ministers to wait in the side hall, even serving them tea.
Prime Minister Jiang was troubled by his chronic back and leg pain.
Prime Minister Zhang was worrying about when this disaster would pass, having not returned home for two days.
Both were distracted, but Minister Jiang felt something was odd, quietly tugging at Prime Minister Jiang’s sleeve.
A faint figure was in the corner of the side hall.
Prime Minister Jiang, following Minister Jiang’s gaze, instinctively stood up to question, but suddenly felt darkness before his eyes, then lost consciousness.
Everyone in the side hall, including the maid serving tea, was unconscious.
Inside the main hall, Lu Zhang heard the respectful report of his attendant, knowing that the two prime ministers had brought people along, probably detouring to Wenyuan Pavilion for memorial tablets, making him wait for a long time.
Lu Zhang did not care much for the Third Prince.
But the crown prince could be established or deposed.
Compared to the sixth prince, who was temperamental and easily offended the scholarly officials, the third prince was naturally more in line with the literati’s wishes.
The sixth prince was not old, but perhaps he could be persuaded to return.
Lu Zhang thought coldly, the sixth prince’s unyielding spirit, knowing the weak third had become the crown prince, would he not be infuriated to the point of spitting blood? Just with the bait of the throne, it was enough to incite the sixth prince to view the third as an enemy, sparing the sixth prince from constantly worrying about his mother and resenting his father.
Lu Zhang did not take the resentments of the sixth prince to heart.
In his opinion, it was just the sixth prince’s youthful inexperience. After suffering enough, he would understand that power was the most important, and power was in the hands of the emperor.
–No matter how unwilling, one must kneel down, and put on a submissive expression to get everything.
Lu Zhang did not care about what happened after his death; no one knew better than he that being an emperor was not comfortable.
Even if his own sons wished to dismantle the imperial tombs, in front of the court officials and the people of the world, they had to present the appearance of a filial son and a wise grandson. Which emperor in history dared to disrespect the deceased emperor openly?
Lu Zhang looked sternly at the door.
He did not see his trusted eunuch, nor did he see Prime Minister Jiang and others.
Instead, he first saw the Third Prince.
The Third Prince was wearing crumpled clothes, his hair blown by the wind as if it were a bird’s nest, his face full of fear, hunched and nearly tripped over the threshold.
“What is this appearance?” Lu Zhang shouted angrily.
The Third Prince’s legs went soft, and he was completely frightened into kneeling.
Lu Zhang also felt something was wrong at this moment. The eunuch supposed to enter was missing, and there was no one outside to report the Third Prince waiting for an audience, and he had not agreed, so how did the Third Prince appear?
Lu Zhang drew his sword in reverse, chopping down the screen in front of him.
Then the window was smashed open, and another person was thrown in.
Lu Zhang fixed his gaze and immediately his expression changed.
The Second Prince was not knocked unconscious, nor was he trembling with fear like the Third Prince. After landing, he got up, grabbed a desk as a shield, and charged at Lu Zhang.
Lu Zhang, having served in the military at the border in his early years, was a military man, despite being advanced in age and living in luxury, still had some skills.
The Second Prince barely blocked the slashed sword with the desk, kicked out, but was kicked in the knee by Lu Zhang, crying out in pain.
“Rebel! You dare to come?” Lu Zhang shouted angrily.
The Second Prince overturned a chair, running and shouting, “I’ve given the money, where are the people? A wise minister worthy of eternal fame can’t renege on a deal!”
Third brother, there’s a worthy minister we need to invite, would you contribute some money?
Outside, there were still people around, and fires could not be lit in the Wenyuan Pavilion. Moreover, Mo Li felt that the material of that set of silver needles was not good enough. Solving the Second Prince’s meridian problem was not as simple as just sticking a few needles.
“Your hundred taels would be better used to save your life!”
Mo Li said without even lifting his head, “Your body will need to take medicine for at least three years, and just the medicinal herbs alone will cost more than a hundred taels. If you are lucky enough to survive, once you catch a cold or overwork yourself, you’ll immediately need to take medicine to keep yourself alive.”
The Second Prince’s expression froze, and he blurted out, “I had no intention of seeking treatment.”
“What, you don’t want to live anymore?” Meng Qi, with his arms folded, sized up the Second Prince, thinking to himself that this guy must be afraid of taking medicine.
Then, thinking of the bitter medicines the doctor had once boiled, Meng Qi actually felt a chill down his spine.
The Second Prince said with a dark face, “I rebelled and stormed the palace; now, if the Emperor does not die, I die. Why bother taking any medicine?”
Meng Qi, stroking his chin with his fingers, said with interest, “Right, that’s the logic. Too bad the price you offered isn’t enough; I can’t help you assassinate the Emperor.”
“Are you joking?”
The Second Prince stared at Meng Qi in shock, having never seen such a greedy person before.
Is the throne not enough to satisfy this man?
Meng Qi sneered, “Why are you looking at me like that? Let’s be practical; the throne is impossible. Do I look like I think my life is too easy, wanting to snatch this mess for myself?”
“…Then what do you want?”
Meng Qi smiled and gestured with his hand, “I hear all of you brothers want to kill the Emperor, but only you are paying. Don’t you think that’s unfair?”
The Second Prince looked woodenly at Meng Qi.
Oh, so he just thinks the money is too little.
“What do you mean by staring at me without speaking?” Meng Qi continued to tease him.
“I’m wondering how a wise minister from the previous dynasty could look like this?”
The Second Prince looked at the clothes Meng Qi was wearing, which seemed very ordinary. He hadn’t noticed before, mainly because Meng Qi’s extraordinary demeanor had diverted his attention. He asked seriously, “Does it seem like Master Meng’s life is not going well? Could it be that all your money is spent on your face, to maintain such youthful looks?”
“Pfft.”
Meng Qi turned his head in annoyance, and Mo Li had no smile on his face, as if the sound had not come from him.
However, there were only three people in the pavilion.
“Doctor.” Meng Qi called out softly, very displeased.
Mo Li, meeting Meng Qi’s eyes, for some reason thought of the chubby one in the secret passage who complained in a milky voice.
He couldn’t muster up any admiration for the Golden Dragon, nor could he grasp the feeling of yearning for his beloved. It would be better to take a sand rat back to Zhushan County…
“Hmm, maintaining black hair and a youthful face does cost quite a bit.” Mo Li admitted he did know a few beauty-preserving recipes, and the medicinal herbs were not cheap. The recipes couldn’t be consumed indiscriminately; they had to be paired with medicinal diets and daily habits.
All in all, practicing martial arts was the most worry-free beauty-preserving technique.
The Second Prince was half-convinced.
Mo Li spoke slowly and naturally had a trustworthy demeanor. The Second Prince really wanted to believe the doctor’s words, but having youthful looks to the extent of Meng Qi was almost demonic!
The most popular secret remedies in the palace were fertility and beauty-preserving techniques.
Although the Second Prince had never taken them, he had seen the Empress and the princes’ consorts consume such things as bird’s nest, peach gum, and red dates, which were especially expensive, but the effects were not that impressive.
“Stop talking, there’s some noise outside.”
Mo Li raised his hand to signal, and the Second Prince had to shut his mouth.
The imperial guards gradually returned, leaving only two to stand guard outside Wenyuan Pavilion as a show, while the others went into the side rooms to slack off and rest.
Their voices were not loud, and two floors separated them, but Mo Li, intent on listening, could still make out the gist of their conversation.
The Imperial Guards were not discussing anyone else but the Second Prince, Lu Min.
“Your mother has been imprisoned?” Mo Li turned to say.
Meng Qi, like Mo Li, was slightly surprised.
He had thought the Second Prince’s birth mother was already dead, hence his recklessness in plotting rebellion without any concerns.
“You heard the Imperial Guards talking? Hmph, I heard them long before.” The Second Prince said sullenly, clenching his right fist, his eyes filled with resentment, “Yesterday, when I realized things were going south, I took some people and hid within the palace. The Imperial Guards everywhere were saying my mother has already been thrown into the Heavenly Prison.”
Mo Li felt his tone and expression were a bit off and asked timely, “Then what?”
“…What then, I paid it no mind.” The Second Prince said fiercely.
Meng Qi yawned with his arms folded, and Mo Li remained silent.
After a while, the Second Prince couldn’t hold it in any longer and grumbled, “Why aren’t you scolding me?”
Meng Qi wondered, “We’re neither relatives nor friends, why should I scold you?”
The Second Prince glared, muttering, “Just… for being disloyal, unfilial, not caring about one’s birth mother, and the like.”
Mo Li indeed thought this prince was a bit lacking in brains, not clever, and moreover, acted rashly. It was quite normal that Lu Zhang suddenly made his move, and the Second Prince didn’t manage to take everyone away in time.
However, since the Second Prince asked, Mo Li casually inquired, “You weren’t prepared in advance?”
Plotting rebellion with external forces, and not being afraid of dying is one thing, but not preparing a way out for others?
The Second Prince’s face turned ugly, and after a long while, he stammered out that the prince consort he married had betrayed him, and his mother’s situation was even more complicated.
“If she knew what I was doing, it wouldn’t have come to my wife betraying me.”
“…”
Mo Li silently thought, the palace was entirely different from what he imagined.
Meng Qi glanced at the physician and whispered secretly, “The Chu Dynasty’s royal family is not like this, perhaps it’s just his Lu family!”
Although the Second Prince couldn’t hear what they were saying, he could guess some from Mo Li’s expression. He angrily turned his head and lay on the small couch, refusing to speak any further.
Mo Li simply continued to listen to the Imperial Guards’ discussions.
In the Imperial Guards’ mouths, the Second Prince was ignorant and constantly punished.
Whether it was for not learning his letters and being punished by the Hanlin scholars, or being punished by the Emperor or Concubine, leading to being grounded, he had copied hundreds of scriptures from childhood to adulthood. How such a useless prince gathered the courage to rebel was beyond Mo Li.
Mo Li guessed that this concubine must be the Second Prince’s birth mother.
The Imperial Guards had limited knowledge, repeating disdainful remarks about the Second Prince. Indeed, if they could know the secret of the discord between the prince and his mother, it’s likely the civil and military officials of the outer court would know too.
The ochre palace walls concealed many secrets; without any incident, these secrets would be forever sealed within the silent palaces, slowly decaying.
Mo Li shook his head inwardly; seeing the Second Prince lying straight, he couldn’t help but think of the sickly Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace.
— Who would want such a mess; indeed, it’s a death one cannot afford.
They had already met the Second Prince, and the Sixth Prince as well; likely, the remaining Third Prince couldn’t withstand the pressure either.
“Reports from all over, with hundreds arriving daily, plus the ones from the court… A one-day delay might be manageable, but a three-day delay could cause trouble. With the capital under martial law and the imperial city locked down, Lu Zhang could last until this evening at most. He must summon the Prime Minister, to give them some reassurance, otherwise, the entire capital will be in panic.”
Meng Qi leaned against the wall, fiddling with two gold pieces in his hand, saying nonchalantly, “I wonder where Lu Zhang has taken the Prime Minister and the direct officials from the Wenyuan Pavilion. After all, the throne can change hands, but the core of the court cannot suddenly lose members, much less die off completely. We’ll just wait in the Wenyuan Pavilion, those important officials of the Qi Dynasty will show up sooner or later.”
The Second Prince suddenly sat up, his eyes shining as he asked, “Then by following Prime Minister Jiang and the others, we can find him, and then we can take action?!”
“He” of course referred to Lu Zhang.
Meng Qi said with a smile that was not quite a smile, “We haven’t agreed on a price yet.”
“No, you want to find the Emperor, and you would go even without money.”
The Second Prince was not foolish; this logic he could still follow, and he suspiciously watched the two before him.
—Unwilling to assassinate the Emperor, then what to do seeing the Emperor, it couldn’t be to rob the Emperor?
“Let me tell you the truth, I find your father the Emperor displeasing to the eye, wanting to knock out his teeth and add some nice colors to his face, shades of blue and purple look better, ensuring no one can recognize him, even in dragon robes he would be suspected of being a rebel.”
With each word from Meng Qi, the Second Prince’s eyes lit up more, until at the end, he was practically ready to jump up in approval.
“Seeing as you’re the brother of the Crown Prince, I’ll give you a chance,” Meng Qi said with a smile brimming on his face.
Mo Li had a vague guess.
Sure enough, the next moment he heard Meng Qi start to make an offer: “I’ll take you with us, one punch, one kick, for a fee of a hundred silver taels, how about that?”
The Second Prince struggled with his expression, his gaze shifting uncertainly.
It was clear he wanted to agree, but his rationality prevailed, successfully stopping him from nodding.
“Bare-handed? Can’t it be changed to one slash?” The Second Prince tried to bargain.
“That slash of yours is meant to pierce the Emperor’s heart, isn’t it!” Meng Qi ruthlessly exposed him.
“…So what if it is! I’m going to die anyway, can’t I vent my anger?”
At this point, Mo Li interjected: “Who said you’re going to die?”
The Second Prince stiffly said, “After you hit the Emperor and leave me there, won’t I only have death left?”
Hearing this, Meng Qi said irritably, “Then you write another IOU of a hundred silver taels, and we’ll take you out of the palace?”
The Second Prince hesitated for a moment, then actually refused: “I have no money to repay, and with my brother in poor health, if he’s gone, there’s no one to help me pay.”
Mo Li was speechless, and Meng Qi raised an eyebrow, “Don’t you still have brothers?”
“They can hardly save themselves, plus they look down on me on normal days, calling me reckless and foolish,” the Second Prince sneered with disdain, “I think they’re all talk and no action!”
Meng Qi sighed from the bottom of his heart: “It seems whether it’s assassination or beating up, I’m destined to only make a hundred silver notes off you, not a penny more?”
“What else?”
The Second Prince thought for a while, then tentatively said, “The sixth brother is not in the capital, the third brother should be under guard by the Imperial Guards, shall I draw a map for you to ask him for money? He’s not married yet, probably has more savings than I do.”
Mo Li: “…”
The princes of the Lu family were not necessarily brotherly, seeing how quickly he was ready to sell out his own brother.
***
Imperial Palace, Changle Palace.
This place is at the northernmost end of the Imperial City. It was a separate palace long ago, but with the gradual expansion of the Imperial City through the dynasties, Changle Palace was eventually encompassed within the Imperial Palace.
Although nominally it belongs to the harem, it is distanced from other palaces, being an independent complex with a sizable area. Inside the palace, there are gardens and lakes, meticulously maintained, with high standards of palace specifications, beyond what common concubines could occupy. Thus, Changle Palace became the residence of the Empress Dowagers and Imperial Concubines.
Currently, the Qi Dynasty has no Empress Dowager, so Changle Palace has no master. Only in the west wing of the palace, some young and beautiful low-ranking concubines live there. Anyway, once the Emperor passes away, the women of the palace will have to move here, so it doesn’t really break the rules.
Since yesterday, the palace gates have been locked, with Imperial Guards coming and going outside.
The few concubines staying in Changle Palace knew the Emperor was here, but they couldn’t leave or send messages, only able to wait in trepidation.
Speaking of concubines, the highest rank among these women was only fifth rank.
In the Qi Dynasty’s harem, such a level was the norm.
The women of the harem were not as the stories suggest, constantly jealous and undermining each other. Of course, such things existed, but their minds were not solely occupied with these matters. Rather than saying they were concubines, it was more accurate to say they were officials.
They received stipends and had ranks, and were not merely sitting in the palace all day dressing up, eating, drinking, and waiting for the Emperor’s visit. There were many tasks within the inner palace, from top to bottom, everyone had their duties and responsibilities to manage. Those who had nothing to do were either despised or too ill.
Being an official naturally involved much learning, and promotions or demotions were common.
When the harem lacked order and the concubines didn’t need to bother with management, it meant that the eunuchs held the power, diluting the authority that should belong to these women.
The Qi Dynasty was unique in that the eunuchs did not flaunt their power in the outer court but in the inner palace.
The reason was the palace lacked not only an Empress but even “wives” were few, with only one who was of a meek disposition, unable to produce a worthy son, incapable of managing or daring to manage affairs. She was nothing more than a yes-woman, agreeing with whatever the Emperor or his trusted eunuchs said, without any ideas of her own.
Consequently, the concubines below her had no recourse.
Furthermore, with the Emperor being unpredictable, there wasn’t a single woman in the palace who dared to speak up based on her status, making the inner palace even more stagnant, where everyone only looked out for themselves without concern for others.
Although Lu Zhang had the bad habit of beating concubines, not everyone had been beaten, nor did he rage every day.
Those who hardly saw the Emperor once a year or half a year were usually unaware of this.
The few concubines in Changle Palace were unaware, thinking that Wang Cairen, the oldest and highest-ranked among them who was carried out with a broken forehead by the eunuchs and palace maids, had angered the Emperor, making them even less willing to come forward.
“Have you not found the Second Prince yet?” A cold voice came from the inner chamber.
“Yes…”
“What about the Wang Cairen?”
With humble eyes, a eunuch reported, “By His Majesty’s order, she has been detained in the east side hall of Changle Palace, crying since yesterday, with no one coming to her rescue.”
“Rebel!”
Lu Zhang slammed the table fiercely.
He was tall and imposing, with thick eyebrows and sharp eyes, exuding a commanding presence.
Having been the Emperor for many years, he carried an aura of untouchability.
Even the usually authoritative eunuch trembled slightly in Lu Zhang’s presence, maintaining a respectful posture as he spoke softly, “The Imperial Guards have also caught two eunuchs from the Eastern Palace outside, insisting they were out to summon the Imperial Physician and are waiting for Your Majesty’s decision.”
“Let’s not talk about the Eastern Palace’s matters.” Lu Zhang frowned deeply, then added, “Order the Imperial Physician to treat the Crown Prince.”
The eunuch bowed and was about to leave when Lu Zhang called him back.
“Summon the two Prime Ministers and the commander of the Imperial Guards, and bring the Third Prince over…”
“Your Majesty?”
Lu Zhang coldly stated, “Since the Crown Prince is no longer suitable, let’s appoint the Third Prince as the heir. Isn’t this exactly what those officials want?”
The eunuch dared not reply, bowing deeply and backing away.
Halfway out, he nearly collided with another eunuch entering.
The former glared at the latter, who quickly made a gesture and lowered his head.
“What’s going on?” Lu Zhang noticed the disturbance at the door.
The eunuch quickly replied respectfully, “Your Majesty, it’s Wang Cairen’s misfortune.”
“Misfortune” naturally meant she could no longer enjoy her fortunes.
Lu Zhang paid it no mind, waving his hand to dismiss them.
The authoritative eunuch, once outside, secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked with a stern face, “She just got kicked, how did she end up dead? Isn’t this troublesome at such a time?”
“The Imperial Physician said, when Wang Cairen fell, her forehead struck the corner of a table…”
The following eunuch hesitated to speak further, busy fanning the eunuch-in-charge.
“Never mind, never mind, go invite Prime Minister Jiang, Prime Minister Zhang, and Minister Jiang for politics. I’ll go invite His Highness, the Third Prince… Ah, truly misjudged the situation. Who would have thought, after all these twists and turns, it’s the Third Prince who might ascend the throne in the future. We must not neglect this, we still need to curry favor.”
The chief eunuch hurriedly took people and rushed to the residence of the Third Prince.
Only to find that the person was gone.
No one knew where he went, not even the imperial guards surrounding the prince’s residence.
The chief eunuch was drenched in sweat, frantically stomping his feet, almost turning the nearby area upside down in his search.
In the end, with no other choice, he had to reluctantly head back, feeling as if his head was on the line, encountering a bitter expression upon meeting the eunuchs sent to invite the several important ministers.
“Chief Xu, where is the Third Prince?”
Not mentioning this would have been fine, but once it was brought up, the chief eunuch became furious.
Yet, in front of several court ministers, he couldn’t erupt, only managing to force a smile and said: “My lords, please wait a moment, this old servant will report to His Majesty.”
Saying so, he hurried into the main hall first, while the other eunuchs, sensing something was amiss, wisely invited the ministers to wait in the side hall, even serving them tea.
Prime Minister Jiang was troubled by his chronic back and leg pain.
Prime Minister Zhang was worrying about when this disaster would pass, having not returned home for two days.
Both were distracted, but Minister Jiang felt something was odd, quietly tugging at Prime Minister Jiang’s sleeve.
A faint figure was in the corner of the side hall.
Prime Minister Jiang, following Minister Jiang’s gaze, instinctively stood up to question, but suddenly felt darkness before his eyes, then lost consciousness.
Everyone in the side hall, including the maid serving tea, was unconscious.
Inside the main hall, Lu Zhang heard the respectful report of his attendant, knowing that the two prime ministers had brought people along, probably detouring to Wenyuan Pavilion for memorial tablets, making him wait for a long time.
Lu Zhang did not care much for the Third Prince.
But the crown prince could be established or deposed.
Compared to the sixth prince, who was temperamental and easily offended the scholarly officials, the third prince was naturally more in line with the literati’s wishes.
The sixth prince was not old, but perhaps he could be persuaded to return.
Lu Zhang thought coldly, the sixth prince’s unyielding spirit, knowing the weak third had become the crown prince, would he not be infuriated to the point of spitting blood? Just with the bait of the throne, it was enough to incite the sixth prince to view the third as an enemy, sparing the sixth prince from constantly worrying about his mother and resenting his father.
Lu Zhang did not take the resentments of the sixth prince to heart.
In his opinion, it was just the sixth prince’s youthful inexperience. After suffering enough, he would understand that power was the most important, and power was in the hands of the emperor.
–No matter how unwilling, one must kneel down, and put on a submissive expression to get everything.
Lu Zhang did not care about what happened after his death; no one knew better than he that being an emperor was not comfortable.
Even if his own sons wished to dismantle the imperial tombs, in front of the court officials and the people of the world, they had to present the appearance of a filial son and a wise grandson. Which emperor in history dared to disrespect the deceased emperor openly?
Lu Zhang looked sternly at the door.
He did not see his trusted eunuch, nor did he see Prime Minister Jiang and others.
Instead, he first saw the Third Prince.
The Third Prince was wearing crumpled clothes, his hair blown by the wind as if it were a bird’s nest, his face full of fear, hunched and nearly tripped over the threshold.
“What is this appearance?” Lu Zhang shouted angrily.
The Third Prince’s legs went soft, and he was completely frightened into kneeling.
Lu Zhang also felt something was wrong at this moment. The eunuch supposed to enter was missing, and there was no one outside to report the Third Prince waiting for an audience, and he had not agreed, so how did the Third Prince appear?
Lu Zhang drew his sword in reverse, chopping down the screen in front of him.
Then the window was smashed open, and another person was thrown in.
Lu Zhang fixed his gaze and immediately his expression changed.
The Second Prince was not knocked unconscious, nor was he trembling with fear like the Third Prince. After landing, he got up, grabbed a desk as a shield, and charged at Lu Zhang.
Lu Zhang, having served in the military at the border in his early years, was a military man, despite being advanced in age and living in luxury, still had some skills.
The Second Prince barely blocked the slashed sword with the desk, kicked out, but was kicked in the knee by Lu Zhang, crying out in pain.
“Rebel! You dare to come?” Lu Zhang shouted angrily.
The Second Prince overturned a chair, running and shouting, “I’ve given the money, where are the people? A wise minister worthy of eternal fame can’t renege on a deal!”
