Chapter 52#
Death Warriors…?#
Qi Hanzhou’s expression turned slightly grim. All the covert sentries were his trusted men. He immediately sent someone to keep watch, then asked, “Tell me in detail.”
“As per your orders, I’ve been watching Kunning Palace ever since the palace lantern incident. There was no movement for a long time. Today, I followed the empress’s female attendant to the Eastern Palace,” Ye Xuanjiu described in great detail. “The Eastern Palace is heavily guarded. The Embroidered Uniform Guard wouldn’t normally dare to venture deep inside. I originally planned to scout around a bit and then leave, but just as I got close, those death warriors made their move.”
Qi Hanzhou pondered. “Are you sure they were death warriors?”
The thought that the crown prince had death warriors by his side sent chills down one’s spine. As the heir apparent, the crown prince was entitled to imperial guards and shadow guards within the Eastern Palace—these were troops the royal family permitted him to have for his protection. Having served in the Embroidered Uniform Guard for years, Ye Xuanjiu naturally knew a thing or two about the secret training of imperial shadow guards. “I can’t determine the exact number for now, but the imperial shadow guards aren’t this ruthless in their methods. Moreover, they operate under restrictions from the imperial court and would only show themselves if the crown prince were under threat.”
The ones who attacked him then were different. Their methods were fierce, and the weapons they used weren’t standard-issue imperial armaments.
Weapons in the palace were restricted, yet these people boldly attacked with lethal intent. Their martial skills seemed to follow a jianghu school style… This went beyond mere shadow guards; they were most likely privately raised death warriors.
These men had been lurking in the Eastern Palace, moving about the palace for a long time without the Embroidered Uniform Guard ever detecting them.
If Ye Xuanjiu hadn’t followed the empress’s maidservant to investigate inside, who would have discovered that such people were hiding among the crown prince’s guards?
“Is the Xu family this audacious?” Ye Xuanjiu asked, inwardly shocked.
“No, it’s not the Xu family.” Qi Hanzhou ordered the traces of Ye Xuanjiu’s presence to be covered up, then turned and said, “The Xu family is a clan of civil officials. It’s possible for them to keep a few shadow guards, but they couldn’t have trained death warriors.”
“Should we report this to His Majesty?” Ye Xuanjiu asked.
Qi Hanzhou shook his head. “We’ve never found anything like this before, and we lack solid evidence. Rushing to report might only alert the enemy.”
Since becoming the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Qi Hanzhou had never stopped investigating matters within the palace. Even before Ye Xuanjiu brought this up, the Guard had secretly inspected the Eastern Palace on imperial orders—back then, no death warriors had intervened.
And yet today, Ye Xuanjiu had encountered them.
“You say you followed the empress’s attendant there?” Qi Hanzhou asked.
A thought suddenly struck Ye Xuanjiu. “When the death warriors struck, that female attendant was still inside the Eastern Palace!”
Ever since the night the Sixth Prince was ambushed in Cining Palace, Qi Hanzhou had known there were moles within the palace.
Over such a long time, the sweeping purge of the court had grown too aggressive. The palace lantern incident clearly showed that the mastermind was growing desperate, enough to target the Sixth Prince. And now, death warriors had appeared in the Eastern Palace—not Kunning Palace, but the Eastern Palace.
It wasn’t just the attendant who was problematic; the Eastern Palace itself was compromised.
…
The streets of the capital were bustling. In the taverns, a group of idle rich young men had gathered. The Liu family had received the emperor’s praise for their work in the Jiangnan disaster relief, and Liu Dafu had ascended to the ranks of imperial-favored wealthy merchants. His son, the portly Liu Dengke, now walked with a straighter back, hosting a lavish and unpretentious banquet to celebrate their good fortune.
Amid the clamor filling the tavern, the private room upstairs remained utterly silent. Ye Xuanjiu relayed to Ying Fusheng the news of the Eastern Palace death warriors. The room fell into a heavy silence. Since Ye Xuanjiu began his explanation, Qi Hanzhou had been watching Ying Fusheng the entire time. When the mention of death warriors came, Ying Fusheng’s expression shifted slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.
Death warriors—the crown prince had death warriors by his side?
Ying Fusheng recalled the new emperor who had ascended the throne in his previous life—the false crown prince had fought against the legitimate eldest prince for years, until the eldest prince gradually lost ground, and the false crown prince staged a coup, executing all the hidden forces that had opposed him.
The matter of switching the children… he had always believed only a handful of people knew.
Perhaps the crown prince knew as well, but only after he had matured and built up his power… But if death warriors had appeared in the Eastern Palace, then did the crown prince, as the heir apparent, know about them or not?
Ying Fusheng’s hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched tightly. A flicker of malice passed through his eyes.
Qi Hanzhou watched him and spoke, pulling him back from his thoughts. “This Shuangyue is more than just a member of the Xu family.”
Ying Fusheng suppressed his momentary lapse of composure.
Shuangyue, the highest-ranking female attendant in Kunning Palace, had entered the palace with the empress. She was inextricably tied to the Xu family and was also the empress’s confidante. Such a person could easily have tampered with the palace lanterns, and she could have arranged for new craftsmen to enter the palace.
She was the mastermind’s agent. She could move within the palace freely, had an inseparable connection with the Xu family, and was privy to almost all the exchanges between Empress Xu and her clan. With her status, she could come and go from the Eastern Palace without raising suspicion—a perfectly placed piece that could link three different lines of operation.
So that was why, in his previous life, after the grand dowager empress died, power fell into the empress’s hands, which allowed Consort Ning and the other hidden agents to seize their opportunity.
“Before I came here, the Qi family had already put all their lines in place. From now on, every move she makes will be watched,” Qi Hanzhou said.
Ying Fusheng’s expression shifted slightly. He had said “the Qi family,” not just the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
What Qi Hanzhou wanted to investigate went beyond the court—it included the inner palace as well. Shuangyue, this hidden piece, could point toward the common goal of both men. Ying Fusheng’s thoughts turned rapidly. This meant that the repeated striking down of hidden agents in the court had reached the mastermind’s bottom line, forcing him to resort to the palace lantern plot as a frame-up. Now, death warriors had appeared in the Eastern Palace.
In his previous life, no matter whether it was the Youzhou city case that Qi Hanzhou wanted to investigate or Ying Fusheng’s own machinations in the court, in the end, this person had always hidden behind the crown prince, seeing all and manipulating all. But this life was different. In front of the mastermind stood a crown prince whose feathers had not yet fully grown.
As the two men contemplated in silence, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door.
Ye Xuanjiu, standing guard, grew alert at once, but he saw that the newcomer was a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s covert network. “Young General! We’ve received news. That female attendant named Shuangyue has left the palace!”
The expressions of everyone in the private room changed slightly. This female attendant was definitely connected to the mastermind who had orchestrated so many grand schemes. Now that they had found this lead, following her would surely uncover more clues.
“A female attendant leaving the palace requires a seal of authorization. Where is she going?” Qi Hanzhou asked.
The scout answered, “Heading toward the outskirts. It seems today is the day Empress Xu returns to the palace.”
“That’s not right. When the empress returns to the palace, she is escorted by her own guards. She wouldn’t need to leave the palace herself,” Ying Fusheng said. “There’s something wrong. There must be another reason that makes Shuangyue go to Huguo Temple to receive Empress Xu.”
Under these circumstances, they needed to go and see for themselves.
Qi Hanzhou paused in his movements and saw that the person behind him had already risen from his seat and was donning an outer coat. “I’ll go with you.”
Ye Xuanjiu was alarmed. “Your Highness, you can’t—”
“Young General Qi will be there.”
Ying Fusheng said, “I’ll stick with you. I won’t act rashly.”
Qi Hanzhou gave him a serious look, said nothing more, and silently acquiesced to his decision.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard moved quickly. A carriage was prepared.
As soon as Ying Fusheng boarded the carriage, a bamboo hat with a veil was placed over his head, covering him completely. Qi Hanzhou sat down beside him and waved for Ye Xuanjiu to expedite their exit from the city. The Embroidered Uniform Guard had special permits, so they would leave the city faster than a palace carriage and arrive at Huguo Temple before Shuangyue did.
The carriage sped along, and the two inside remained silent.
Ying Fusheng’s thoughts were tumultuous, his expression dark.
Just what was the relationship between Kunning Palace and the Eastern Palace? To what extent were the mastermind and the Xu family intertwined? Only Shuangyue could reveal the details.
“The Eastern Palace is overly guarded against you,” Qi Hanzhou said.
Ying Fusheng was taken aback. He turned his head to look at Qi Hanzhou.
When their eyes met, Ying Fusheng felt as though the other had sensed something.
But Qi Hanzhou said nothing more. He reached out and pressed the bamboo hat firmly down on Ying Fusheng’s head. The face beneath the veiled hat was unreadable, but Qi Hanzhou no longer felt the urge to probe further. From the mastermind to the Eastern Palace, certain things were beginning to show their outlines.
Ying Fusheng suppressed the smile that had been on his face. He knew that Qi Hanzhou had realized something.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard had searched for a long time without finding the death warriors. Yet Ye Xuanjiu had stumbled upon them.
The most direct reason was simply the timing of Ye Xuanjiu’s appearance at the Eastern Palace. Shuangyue and the crown prince must have been discussing something that required the death warriors to be present on guard, and they intended to show no mercy to anyone who passed by.
Just then, the sound of a hawk’s wings came from outside the window.
The moment the sound stirred, Ying Fusheng looked toward the window. His brief moment of anomaly did not escape Qi Hanzhou’s eyes.
The hawk darted into the carriage and landed on Qi Hanzhou’s arm.
Qi Hanzhou set aside his observation, and his expression shifted slightly as he unrolled the message.
“What is it?”
“A message from Huguo Temple.”
…
Inside Huguo Temple, Empress Xu had finished her prayers to the Buddha. Master Liaozhi walked behind her, escorting the noble lady down the green stone steps until they reached the mountain gate.
Master Liaozhi addressed her: “Your Majesty, you carry a heavier heart than when we last met. I urge you to clear your mind of all worldly cares, so that you may find peace.”
She was often simply dressed, with an air of detachment, appearing calmer than anyone else, but in truth, her burdens grew heavier by the day.
Empress Xu merely nodded, thanked the master, and turned to leave.
As her figure faded into the mountain paths, the master halted and watched her go.
“Master, when will Her Majesty come again?” a young monk asked. He liked Empress Xu. Very few other palace nobles ever came to the temple, but Empress Xu had visited many times over the years. “Her Majesty is different from the other noble ladies. She rarely speaks.”
Master Liaozhi watched her retreating figure. “Because the empress has to be this way.”
The Great Yuan Dynasty had no need for a powerful and influential empress. When the emperor led military campaigns, the power of the inner palace often remained in the hands of the grand dowager empress.
In this dynasty, where martial prowess was paramount, civil governance was nonetheless indispensable. That was why daughters of noble, untainted scholar-official families were chosen to become empresses in the emperor’s eyes.
Outside the mountain gate, a few scattered incense-burning pilgrims could be seen, and not far off, a carriage was parked.
Empress Xu had only one maidservant with her. As they reached the mountain gate, she suddenly stopped and instructed in a low voice, “Wait here.”
The personal maidservant said, “Your Majesty, Shuangyue sent a message. She said she is leaving the palace to receive you and will arrive in about half an hour.”
Empress Xu said, “I have a place to go before I return to the palace. You stay here. If Shuangyue comes, tell her I was delayed and to wait a moment.”
“Aside from you, let no one else know. Don’t tell anyone where I’ve gone.”
The empress’s voice turned cold. “Do you understand?”
The maidservant was taken aback. “Yes, Your Majesty!”
Empress Xu put on her veiled hat and boarded the carriage.
In the mountain forest, birds flitted about.
The carriage went down the mountain all the way until it turned off at the foot of the mountain, eventually stopping in front of a thatched shed. The shed looked unremarkable from the outside, but as one drew closer, a strange medicinal smell could be detected. Years ago, the crown prince’s health had often fluctuated. By a stroke of luck, Empress Xu had come across this doctor who lived in the forests near Huguo Temple. She had him prescribe medicine for the crown prince, and his health gradually improved.
This doctor’s ancestors had been famous physicians of the previous dynasty. After the change of dynasties, he had gone into hiding here, working as an itinerant doctor. Because of his unusual background, Empress Xu never told anyone about him; she always came alone.
The palace had been unable to trace the source of the broken red seeds, and in desperation, she had sought out this former dynastic physician outside the palace.
The incidents in Weiyang Palace and Cining Palace had left her with a persistent sense of unease. Even though the thorough palace investigations had turned up nothing, she felt she had overlooked something.
“The noble lady has arrived.” An old, hunched woman emerged from the shed. “The item you sent last time is indeed a rare secret medicine from the previous dynasty.”
Empress Xu’s expression flickered. “How so?”
“This thing is called Mad Whistleworm Gu. It’s even rarer than the broken red seeds you sent earlier—a type of mother-child gu. If the child gu enters a person’s body, the afflicted one will suffer from headaches or coughing fits. The child gu can remain in the body for decades.” The old woman said, “Generally speaking, it’s not a big problem. But if it contacts the mother gu, the condition deteriorates rapidly—at the least, fainting; at the worst, erosion by the child gu leading to death.”
“The person you mentioned earlier—does she have these symptoms?”
Upon hearing this, Empress Xu’s face paled. She maintained her composure. “Yes, she suddenly fainted, but she recovered quickly.”
“Exactly right. In the medicine dregs you secretly sent me, I found remnants of the mother gu’s shed shell. This substance has the same effect as the mother gu and is very difficult to detect.” The old woman had spent months investigating without success. “Even I couldn’t figure it out at first. It wasn’t until my granddaughter came to visit recently that I was able to identify this thing.”
“You should be very careful.” The old woman’s eyes were dim with age. She hurriedly flipped through a few pages of a medical text, opened it, and pointed to a certain plant. “The cultivation of Mad Whistleworm is particularly tricky. Once the gu is fully formed, it cannot be transferred. The child gu is manageable, but the mother gu will die if removed from its growth environment. The shed shell of the mother gu must be quickly processed into medicine; otherwise, after an hour, the medicinal potency is lost.”
What does this mean…? Empress Xu realized something was wrong.
“Kill the mother gu as soon as possible, or leave the place where the mother gu grows,” said the old woman. “Otherwise, if your elder comes into contact with the mother gu, it will be very difficult to handle.”
Empress Xu’s expression tightened. “What is its growth environment?”
The old woman replied, “It’s a crop called Changxin from western Shu. Noble lady, please pay attention.”
Empress Xu appeared lost in thought. After thanking the old woman, she took her leave.
The carriage drove off. The old woman turned and walked back into the forest.
Among the hidden thickets, a young woman shifted her gaze from the noble lady who had already departed. She tucked the medicinal herbs into her basket and said to the approaching old woman, “The only place in the capital that can grow Changxin is within the palace walls. You knew her identity, but you didn’t say it outright.”
“You’ve been roaming the jianghu for too long; you’re too straightforward.”
The old woman said, “You must understand—some things are best left unseen to avoid disaster.”
“That lady has a pale complexion and insufficient blood and qi. From her appearance, she has blood deficiency and is not in good health,” the young woman said casually, ignoring the old woman’s lecturing tone. “Two secret medicines from the previous dynasty in succession. I’ve heard that the empress nearly failed to deliver the crown prince back then. If a secret medicine from the previous dynasty was used during childbirth, the imperial physicians wouldn’t have been able to detect it.”
“If that is the case, the crown prince might carry residual fetal toxicity from it.” The old woman looked at her. Ever since the empress had secretly approached her to investigate the previous dynasty’s secret medicines, she had looked into this matter. However, Empress Xu’s pulse pattern from so many years ago was now difficult to determine. But there was one thing she still remembered. She said softly, “In the early years, she brought the crown prince here for confidential consultations. At most, it was damage from premature birth. I never diagnosed any abnormality in the pulse—probably unrelated to the previous dynasty’s secret medicines.”
Is that so… The young woman looked into the distance. Suddenly, she saw another carriage passing by. She quickly grabbed the old woman and pulled her down to lie low, fixing her gaze in the distance. She saw that after Empress Xu’s carriage had gone far, the later carriage paused briefly in front of the small shed. This immediately put her on alert. “Someone’s coming.”