Chapter 58#
Qi Hanzhou remained silent for a long moment. When Physician Chen mentioned the fetal toxin, his thoughts immediately turned to the Ning family case. Back then, Consort Ning had given birth prematurely to the Sixth Prince, leaving him weak and sickly from a young age. Afterwards, Consort Ning, afflicted by postpartum depression, conceived the idea to harm her own son and administered the poison Suihongzi.
Now, a spy from the previous dynasty had appeared within the palace, along with Ying Fusheng’s Suihongzi and the Dowager Empress’s mother-child gu worms… He had seen the Dowager Empress’s medical records—her cough and headaches dated back to her youth, at least ten or twenty years ago. The previous dynasty’s spy had already infiltrated the palace back then, and was still active to this day.
If that were the case, the matters he needed to investigate extended far beyond the present.
Ten or twenty years ago: the Xu family, the Ning family… and the imperial family.
Below, the carriage bound for the palace had come to a stop. Ying Fusheng, just approaching the carriage, seemed to sense something and looked up. He saw Qi Hanzhou standing by the window and nodded in greeting.
Their eyes met, and Qi Hanzhou was suddenly reminded of the first time he had suspected him—the two of them had passed each other in a similar fashion, one high and one low. Ying Fusheng seemed inherently certain of something, from orchestrating the Ning family’s downfall to bleeding himself to breed the gu worm. He appeared to know everything, yet also nothing at all.
Qi Hanzhou could see the ambition in Ying Fusheng’s eyes.
Contradictory. Unfathomable.
“Young General?” Physician Chen asked.
Qi Hanzhou deliberated for a moment. “There are some things I’m not yet sure about. If you notice any change in his pulse later, I’ll trouble the two of you to inform me.”
As he spoke, he looked at Chen Xuqiu.
Chen Xuqiu sat inside the private room. Upon hearing this, she raised her eyes. “This tavern is a bit too lively.”
Downstairs, a group of wealthy young idlers had gathered, chatting about something. Shen Changcun was getting tipsy with a few colleagues, while Shen Yunfei was still muttering to Weng Yanqing. The din was hard to ignore, drawing Qi Hanzhou’s gaze. Just then, a brocade-clad guard leaned in from the side. “This subordinate just overheard something.”
“Young General, the Sixth Prince’s birthday is approaching.”
Qi Hanzhou was slightly taken aback.
…
Inside the carriage, Ying Fusheng withdrew his gaze, his peripheral vision falling on his own palm. “Qi Hanzhou has discovered it.”
Song An looked over in confusion. “Your Highness?”
Some things could not be hidden from Qi Hanzhou. If he wanted to use him to deal with the person behind the scenes, certain secrets were inevitable—even if Ying Fusheng felt these matters were insignificant regardless. His purpose in coming today was Chen Xuqiu. His current body was too frail. In his previous life, after meeting Chen Xuqiu and Qi Hanzhou, he had barely managed to cling to life, and in the end, even without the new emperor’s poisoned wine, he wouldn’t have survived that winter.
He hadn’t lied to Physician Chen: this body was his greatest obstacle, especially his sanity.
Disease and disaster were one thing, but what he feared was going mad.
The acupuncture method could keep his mind clear, but the residual poison within him remained a constant threat. Now, with every step carefully calculated and having gained the upper hand, he was even less inclined to relax.
Song An said, “There’s another matter. Through inquiries with Deputy Ye, this servant has learned the reason the Brocade Guard appeared in the Cold Palace that night.”
Ying Fusheng’s expression tightened slightly at this, a cold glint emerging in the depths of his eyes. “Speak.”
“Regarding the deaf-mute matron Your Highness was investigating, the Brocade Guard found that she had been seen in the Cold Palace. It was Young General Qi who used the Qi family’s connections to uncover this—his findings are more detailed than this servant’s.” Song An spoke while carefully watching Ying Fusheng’s expression. When he heard that this person had appeared in the Cold Palace, a strange look flickered in Ying Fusheng’s eyes.
This was the person who, in his previous life, had told Ying Fusheng about his origins. She had come from Kunning Palace and now appeared in the Cold Palace.
Everything was filled with unreasonable coincidences. Now, she was nowhere to be found within the palace, and yet her identity plaque was inseparable from Kunning Palace… So perhaps it was uncertain whether this person really existed at all.
The carriage swayed. Song An studied His Highness’s expression carefully and noticed a subtle change when he heard this news.
Dusk was already visible outside the window, contrasting with the dimness inside the carriage. The twilight cast shadows across his face, and in the faint light, the young man’s cold eyes were sharp, concealing emotions that were hard to put into words. Finally, he suddenly laughed.
“So that’s how it is. Truly, no small effort was spared.”
The carriage entered the palace city, and without a sound, several days passed.
Qi Hanzhou acted swiftly. The very next day, he deployed the Qi family guards still stationed in the capital to escort Physician Chen south to Jiangnan. By the time Chen Xuqiu’s visiting card arrived, Song An had already arranged, through careful maneuvering, for Chen Xuqiu to be assigned as a personal physician—a position that granted her freedom. She could enter and leave the palace with Ying Fusheng’s token at any time, and could stay in Wanchun Hall as she wished.
“Your Highness is really giving me this?” Chen Xuqiu was quite surprised upon learning this. She couldn’t quite understand what the Sixth Prince was thinking. His trust in her was excessive—wasn’t he afraid she might use this token to do something?
Song An said, “His Highness says you’re a wanderer of the jianghu, used to freedom. He doesn’t want to constrain you.”
The Sixth Prince was frail and often needed imperial physicians to take his pulse. With Wanchun Hall just granted to him, it was easy to arrange for new personnel.
Seizing this opportunity, Ying Fusheng had Song An promote some trusted eunuchs and maids to serve by his side.
The Emperor had granted him Wanchun Hall without specifying when he had to move in. The items originally placed in Weiyang Palace had already been moved there by the Dowager Empress’s orders. Only the things from Cining Palace remained untouched.
Then, one day, just as dawn was breaking, the eunuchs and maids of Cining Palace carried in congratulatory gifts, and he finally realized—
His twelfth birthday had arrived.
Twelve years old. By this age, other princes would leave their consort mothers and move to the princes’ quarters.
He had assumed that was the case. Yu-nanny led the maids in decorating the side hall. The entire hall was decked in red, dispelling some of the sickly atmosphere.
“Her Ladyship says Your Highness may stay in Cining Palace for as long as you wish.” As Yu-nanny directed the maids in decorating the side hall—for Ying Fusheng’s birthday had come, and the staff of Cining Palace were busy adorning every corner—she added, “If you wish to move to Wanchun Hall, Cining Palace is always open for your return.”
The Dowager Empress’s meaning was clear: until Ying Fusheng left the palace to establish his own residence, Cining Palace would always welcome him.
The new year’s clothing was set aside. Chests of rewards were piled in rows—from the Dowager Empress, from the Emperor, and from the other palaces. Ying Fusheng lingered nearby for a long time. The new clothes fit perfectly. Only when Song An called out to him did Ying Fusheng snap back to attention.
“Your Highness?” Song An asked.
Ying Fusheng lowered his eyes. “It’s nothing. I’m just… not quite used to it.”
In the past, he had barely celebrated his birthday. As he grew older, given the conditions of the Cold Palace, his birthday had become a faded memory. And yet, in the blink of an eye, both birthdays since his rebirth had been celebrated in Cining Palace.
Among the gifts, one was placed among those from the Dowager Empress. Ying Fusheng approached. One of them bore the character “Xiao” engraved upon it—
It was a gift from the Xiao family.
What was unusual was that there was another gift mixed in.
Song An said, “This one was received by some palace maid—it’s a painting… But strangely, it has a few strands of animal fur tucked inside.”
Fox fur. It was Hu Buyu’s gift.
Ying Fusheng found it novel. Pinching the fox fur, his expression cooled slightly. “Keep these somewhere private. Don’t let anyone notice. Later, have Shen Changcun bring a jug of wine to Minister Hu of the Ministry of War.”
Song An understood. Then she added, “Your Highness, Young Master Shen has sent word that he has something to discuss with you.”
Ying Fusheng frowned slightly. Shen Yunfei?
Nothing seemed to have happened at the Ministry of War recently. He glanced at Hu Buyu’s gift, thoughts running through his mind. After a moment’s consideration, he said, “Prepare the carriage.”
As soon as they left the palace city, the streets seemed a little livelier than usual.
Ying Fusheng leaned out to look. Before he could ask, the carriage suddenly changed direction, veering away from the original route to the Shen residence. He hesitated briefly. Before he could inquire, the driver had already turned into an alley.
When the carriage stopped outside a tavern, the sound of firecrackers exploding nearby made Ying Fusheng pause mid-step. As he looked up, he saw Shen Yunfei leading a group of idle young nobles waiting at the entrance. “Happy birthday!”
The tavern was excessively lively. Liu Dengke—Fatty Liu—was telling everyone that today, drinks and food at the tavern were free, drawing a huge crowd of commoners eager to join the fun. Ying Fusheng felt a bit out of place as he entered, but he was quickly pushed forward by Shen Yunfei and the others. In front of him was a bowl of long-life noodles, made by Lady Shen herself, who insisted that the birthday boy must have them.
Ying Fusheng stared blankly at the scene. Seeing the long-life noodles placed before him, a rare stillness came over his expression.
“I told Mother we didn’t need to prepare this—the palace surely has its own…” Shen Yunfei started to smooth things over, but then he suddenly saw Ying Fusheng pick up his chopsticks.
The long-life noodles were rather plain. The person who made them seemed to have considered Ying Fusheng’s chronic illness and poor appetite, adding only simple toppings. Compared to the delicacies of the palace, these noodles had a flavor Ying Fusheng had never tasted before.
“Your Highness, there are also birthday peaches and birthday cakes…”
“Are you trying to stuff His Highness until he bursts?”
Song An, watching from the side, quickly stepped in to stop them.
Inside the tavern, the wealthy merchant Liu Dafu was insisting on throwing a grand birthday celebration for the Sixth Prince, but Weng Yanqing talked him out of it, citing extravagance and wastefulness, which His Highness disliked. And so, all that lively energy was crammed into the tavern. The Liu family, afraid that they couldn’t show off their wealth and respect, found roundabout ways to celebrate with the people. By now, commoners who had come to join the fun could fill two entire streets.
“Liu Dafu doesn’t know what gift you want, so he’s just finding ways to donate money in your name.”
“Over there are gifts from Lord Shen… And over there, some gifts from unknown senders.”
…
Unlike the palace banquet, where everyone gathered for formal toasts and each had their own interests to pursue, the tavern’s lively atmosphere radiated from the inside out. The commoners didn’t know it was a prince’s birthday—they only knew some young master was celebrating. Every person Ying Fusheng encountered wished him a happy birthday, their blessings sincere and simple.
Soon, he was surrounded by the crowd.
“These people are far too bold! With so many people, what about His Highness’s safety?” At a higher vantage point, Ye Xuanjiu stared at the bustling scene, caught off guard. Before he could finish, a figure brushed past him.
Ying Fusheng had never been caught up in such chaos. Even outside the tavern, performers had been brought in to put on a show. When a street performer spat out a fire dragon, the burst of heat made Ying Fusheng step back half a pace. In the end, he was firmly steadied by someone—Qi Hanzhou, masked and standing amid the crowd, appeared here without warning.
By then, the performer had moved on to a new trick.
When it came to spectacle, Liu Dengke and his group of idle nobles had a hundred different ideas. Ying Fusheng let his gaze linger on Qi Hanzhou for just a moment before being drawn away by the excitement nearby. He had never seen such things before. The commoners gathered around, cheering. Jianghu performers showed off their tricks. All this liveliness was right before his eyes.
He had grown accustomed to the bustle of the capital since his rebirth—but only from within a carriage or from the high floors of a tavern. He had never personally experienced such commotion before.
Surrounded by commoners, with Shen Yunfei cheering loudly beside him, the atmosphere became intensely heated. Drums beat and gongs clanged, overwhelming Ying Fusheng’s senses.
Ying Fusheng’s guards were pushed aside by the crowd. Qi Hanzhou frowned slightly, about to signal the Brocade Guard to pay attention, when he looked down and saw the young man beside him, tilting his head upward. The sunlight and the performance reflected in Ying Fusheng’s pupils, as if they were filled with sparkling light. The usual calculation had vanished from his eyes, replaced by an innocence befitting his age alone.
Qi Hanzhou paused for a moment. Then he placed his hand on his waist and stood quietly behind him.
Ying Fusheng snapped back from the revelry and saw Qi Hanzhou standing there, still as a statue. He wore a mask, his face completely covered. But the aura around him was enough to make the commoners keep a slight distance—just that.
Qi Hanzhou looked at him. “Your Highness, step back a little.”
The crowd was still too dense to move through easily. Ying Fusheng’s gaze flickered, and suddenly, he seemed distracted. “I didn’t expect to watch a street show with you.”
Qi Hanzhou looked at him in confusion.
But Ying Fusheng had already composed his expression.
It was just watching a show—not the show of the court, but a simple folk performance.
The tavern’s excitement continued until evening, only calming down when Ying Fusheng had to return to the palace. Cining Palace still had the Dowager Empress waiting. Ying Fusheng had arrived empty-handed, but his carriage on the way back was loaded with gifts from others.
Song An sat beside him, telling him who had sent each one. Suddenly, when she opened a particular gift, a cold gleam flashed within.
Song An: “This is…”
A short blade, sharp and cold—it was a sleeve sword.
The gift bore no name, but Ying Fusheng knew it was from Qi Hanzhou.
Song An had kept secret the fact that Shen Yunfei and the others had prepared a birthday banquet. Noticing Ying Fusheng’s silence, she said, “There was no grand celebration in the palace this year, so Young Master Shen and the others thought of this. This servant overstepped.”
Ying Fusheng looked at the sleeve sword and closed the gift case.
“Liveliness is fine. It doesn’t hurt to watch sometimes.”
…
In the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince’s twelfth birthday banquet had no grand celebration this year. Even the Crown Prince’s banquet passed hastily. Only Empress Xu celebrated with him; the Emperor had sent gifts but did not come in person.
The Crown Prince’s expression was dark. Hearing the festivities from Cining Palace drift over only made him feel that even his status as Crown Prince was beneath that of an ordinary prince.
With Shuangyue dead, that person’s network within the palace had fallen into chaos. He only sent a death warrior to tell him not to act rashly for now, then vanished for days with no further word. When Father granted Wanchun Hall to Ying Fusheng, he had held back. But this year’s shabby birthday banquet filled him with a sense of dread—as if Father’s favor, once so clearly directed at him, was waning little by little…
“How is Grandfather?” the Crown Prince asked.
A palace maid replied in a low voice, “The Grand Secretary is currently at home, not yet handling affairs in the Cabinet.”
The Xu family had grown increasingly quiet over this period. Meanwhile, the Emperor had promoted several newly appointed civil officials to the Ministry of Works. The Crown Prince’s heart was growing restless. He knew that the person had told him to stay calm and not cause trouble… but if the Xu family continued like this, his support would only dwindle.
In just this short time, the Yun family’s arrogance at court seemed to be stepping all over the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince shot a glance at the congratulatory gifts set to the side. His expression darkened.
He couldn’t sit still and wait for death.