Chapter Thirty-Five: The Noblewoman's Chess Game

The news of Wen Shichang's imprisonment spread like wildfire, sweeping across the red walls and yellow tiles of the Forbidden City and reaching every palace and courtyard within half a day.

The palace maids in Chuxiu Palace whispered amongst themselves while sweeping, the eunuchs in Yikun Palace gathered under the corridor to murmur among themselves, and even the servants watering the flowers in the Imperial Garden were discussing the legend of the folk painter in Changchun Palace—from being publicly accused by Master Wen and imprisoned, to using his sharp tongue to bring down the treacherous minister and instantly becoming a favorite of the Imperial Concubine.

Su Moqing's residence was also moved from the simple side hall on the west side of Changchun Palace to an exquisite courtyard on the east side.

Two graceful crabapple trees with canopies stand in the courtyard, and a blue-and-white porcelain jar with lotus scrolls is placed in front of the steps. Several golden koi carp swim in the jar, shattering the reflection of the sky on the water's surface as they move.

The gifts arrived in a continuous stream: bright yellow palace satin, brocade handkerchiefs embroidered with orchid patterns, fine Huizhou ink and Xuan paper, and Jiangnan pastries specially prepared by the imperial kitchen, filling half the room.

But Su Moqing felt no joy whatsoever. In her eyes, those fine silks and delicacies were nothing more than cold decorations.

The Imperial Concubine's words, "Do you think you can deceive everyone like this?" were like a needle as thin as a cow's hair but tempered with cold, deeply embedded in her heart, causing her a dull ache day and night.

This noblewoman, who had long resided deep within the palace, had clearly already discovered Shen Rulan's secret, yet she chose to protect her before the emperor—this subtle control was more unsettling and made one feel as if walking on thin ice than direct reprimands and threats.

In the stillness of the night, all was quiet. The shadow of the crabapple tree outside the window was stretched long by the moonlight, casting a faint ink painting on the window paper.

Su Moqing sat at the desk, lit a green lamp, and took out the small rouge box again.

The box is made of the finest mother-of-pearl inlay, shimmering with iridescent colors under the light. When your fingertips run over the delicate intertwined floral pattern on the bottom of the box, the touch is warm and slightly cool.

This was given to her by Shen Rulan before her departure, who said that if she encountered an emergency in the capital, she could contact Lin Xiao at the villa in the capital using the rouge box. In her last secret letter, Shen Rulan said that everything was ready at the villa in the capital, and Lin Xiao could help her leave at any time. But now, the Imperial Concubine had personally asked her to stay in the palace. With such "favor," could she still easily leave this prison within the red walls?

"Miss Su, it's late, are you still not resting?" A soft knock came from outside the door, and then Tao'er came in carrying a bowl of calming tea.

Seeing Su Moqing staring blankly at the rouge box, Tao'er placed the teacup on the table and whispered, "Today's events were truly perilous. I was listening outside the palace, and my heart was in my throat. It's all thanks to the Imperial Concubine speaking up for you at the crucial moment, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable."

Su Moqing snapped out of her reverie, took the warm teacup, and the rising steam blurred the thoughts in her eyes. She asked, seemingly casually, "Tao'er, how long have you been serving the Imperial Concubine?"

"Replying to Miss, I have been in the palace for five years. For the first three years, I was in the Yeting Bureau. Later, I was fortunate enough to be selected to enter Changchun Palace, where I have been serving Your Highness for two years now," Tao'er answered honestly.

"Then do you know how the Imperial Concubine usually treats deception?" Su Moqing asked, holding a teacup, her voice as soft as a wisp of smoke.

Upon hearing this, Tao'er thought carefully before speaking cautiously: "The Imperial Concubine is known for her strict adherence to rules, as everyone in the palace knows. She is intolerant of any impropriety. However, she is also very clear about right and wrong. If it is an unintentional mistake or there is a reason for it, she will often be lenient. But if someone intentionally deceives or deliberately tries to bully her..." She lowered her voice, her tone tinged with apprehension, "Last winter, there was a palace maid who was responsible for sweeping. Her hometown was ravaged by an epidemic, and she was afraid of being expelled from the palace, so she concealed it. Later, when it was discovered, the Imperial Concubine, without saying a word, sent her directly to the Laundry Department—the work in the Laundry Department is the most arduous. In the freezing cold, with hands soaked in cold water, they would swell up like steamed buns in just a few days. That palace maid was never heard from again."

Su Moqing's fingers tightened slightly around the teacup, her heart sinking. It seemed the Imperial Concubine was incredibly strict about "deception." If the Imperial Concubine thoroughly investigated her for concealing Shen Rulan's female identity, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Just then, a eunuch's clear voice announced from outside the hall: "The Imperial Concubine has arrived!"

Su Moqing was startled. She quickly put down her teacup, stood up, straightened her clothes, and hurried to the door to greet him.

The Imperial Concubine was accompanied only by two personal maids. She had removed the elaborate headdresses she wore during the day and only had a simple mutton-fat jade hairpin in her hair. Her plain palace dress made her face look even more beautiful, and she looked less dignified and more gentle.

"No need for formalities." The Imperial Concubine raised her hand in a gesture of support, her gaze passing over Su Moqing and landing on the open rouge box on the table. A subtle, unusual glint flashed in her eyes before she spoke calmly, "This rouge has an elegant color. Was it brought from Yangzhou?"

Su Moqing's heart skipped a beat, and she bowed her head respectfully, replying, "Your Majesty, it was a gift from a 'friend'."

The Imperial Concubine walked slowly to the table, picked up the rouge box, and gently stroked the bottom of it with her fingertips, her movements delicate, as if she were touching a rare treasure. After a long while, she spoke slowly, her voice calm and undisturbed: "When I was young, I also had a 'close friend.' She was from Jiangnan and loved the rouge from Xie Fuchun in Yangzhou the most. She said that the rouge there carried the unique gentle fragrance of Jiangnan, and that applying it to the lips would even improve one's mood."

She gently placed the rouge box back on the table, her tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of melancholy: "Later, for the sake of her family's rise and fall, she married a man she did not love. Before leaving, she gave me a box of rouge, also from Xie Fuchun, with the words 'No Regrets' engraved on the bottom."

Su Moqing held her breath, lowered her head, and dared not reply or look into the Consort's eyes. She could sense that the Consort's words held a deeper meaning; each word was like a stone thrown into the lake of her heart, stirring up ripples.

The Imperial Concubine slowly turned around, her gaze fixed directly on Su Moqing's face. Her eyes were deep and unfathomable, as if they could see through all her thoughts. "Su Moqing," the Imperial Concubine's voice was soft, yet it carried a penetrating power, "how do you think a woman should conduct herself in this world?"

The question was too sudden and too heavy, and Su Moqing was caught off guard for a moment. She pondered for a moment and answered cautiously: "In my opinion, a woman in this world does not seek wealth and glory, nor power and status, but only to do things that she can be ashamed of."

"A clear conscience indeed." The Imperial Concubine suddenly chuckled, her laughter revealing neither joy nor anger. "Then tell me, can you truly say you have a clear conscience regarding Shen Rulan?"

The candlelight inside the hall crackled, and the flickering flames reflected on the two people's faces, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

Su Moqing felt her heart pounding loudly, like a drumbeat, making her eardrums buzz. Looking into the Consort's all-knowing eyes, she knew that it was futile to hide it any longer—this noblewoman from the deep palace had already seen everything clearly.

She slowly knelt down and performed the kowtow to the Imperial Concubine. Her voice trembled slightly, yet remained exceptionally clear: "This humble woman... truly knows Young Master Shen's true identity."

The Imperial Concubine seemed unsurprised, her face remaining calm and composed. She simply asked, "Since you knew, why didn't you say so earlier? Why did you try so hard to explain yourself before the Emperor?"

“Because I believe that whether Young Master Shen is male or female has nothing to do with her contributions to the court or her character.” Su Moqing raised her head, her gaze meeting the Imperial Concubine’s with unwavering eyes, without the slightest hesitation. “As a woman, she has supported the vast Shen family, diligently managed the salt business, paid the salt tax on time and in full every year, and devoted herself wholeheartedly to procuring Western goods for the Imperial Household Department. She has never failed the Emperor’s favor in the slightest. What I respect is her as a person, her integrity and sense of responsibility, not her status or gender.”

The imperial concubine gazed at her for a long, long time, then suddenly sighed softly. That sigh seemed to carry a hint of weariness, and perhaps a touch of helplessness.

"Get up." The Imperial Concubine's voice softened considerably. "If I truly wanted to expose this matter, I wouldn't have spoken up for you before the Emperor today."

Su Moqing was stunned, looking up at the Imperial Concubine in disbelief, her eyes filled with confusion.

"I knew half a year ago that Shen Rulan was a woman." The Imperial Concubine walked to the window, pushed it open halfway, and the night breeze blew in, carrying a faint fragrance of crabapple blossoms. She looked at the deep night outside the window and said calmly, "Before the Cao family fell, someone sent me a secret letter. The letter detailed how Shen Rulan disguised herself as a man and took charge of the Shen family, wanting to use me to bring down the Shen family so that she could take the opportunity to seize the Shen family's salt business."

She slowly turned around, a mocking smile playing on her lips: "In this harem, what's never lacking is open and covert attacks, and the most common practice of using others to do one's dirty work. The reason I've reached my current position isn't because of spreading rumors or forming cliques, but because I know who to target and who not to target."

"The Shen family has managed the salt affairs in Jiangnan for many years, with clear accounts and sufficient salt taxes, and has never made the slightest mistake. Although Shen Rulan is a woman, she is more responsible and knows her place than many men. Why should I touch such a loyal descendant and such a merchant who can share the burden of the court?" The Imperial Concubine's gaze fell on Su Moqing, with a hint of scrutiny and a hint of admiration.

Su Moqing was deeply shocked and didn't know how to respond for a moment. She had never imagined that the Imperial Concubine already knew everything, let alone that the Imperial Concubine's protection of Shen Rulan was based on such considerations.

"I'm keeping you in the palace not to make things difficult for you, nor to use you as a bargaining chip to blackmail the Shen family." The Imperial Concubine walked back to her, her tone much gentler. "But rather, I want to see what kind of person this woman is who can be so devoted to protecting and risking her life for Shen Rulan."

She reached out and personally helped Su Moqing up, the warmth of her fingertips seeping through his clothes. "Today, before the Emperor, you were not afraid of power and argued your case with reason. You protected Shen Rulan without losing your composure, which has impressed me greatly."

Su Moqing suddenly realized that everything that happened in the palace today, from Wen Shichang's attack to her reasonable rebuttal and then to the Imperial Concubine's timely intervention, was actually a test by the Imperial Concubine—a test of her character, her courage, and also a test of her "affection" with Shen Rulan.

"Then... what does Your Majesty intend to do about Shen Rulan's identity?" Su Moqing composed herself and asked cautiously. This was her biggest concern at the moment, concerning Shen Rulan's safety and the lives of the entire Shen family.

The Imperial Concubine nodded slightly, a gentle smile appearing on her face: "Shen Rulan's identity ends here. I will not reveal it, and I hope she will take care of herself and act more cautiously in the future, so as not to leave any incriminating evidence. As for you..."

She paused, her gaze falling on the painting on the table, her tone carrying a genuine fondness: "I truly admire your painting skills. The palace has not seen such spirited works of art for a long time. I would like you to stay a little longer and paint some paintings for the ladies of the various palaces, so as to add a touch of elegance to this deep palace. Would you be willing?"

These seemingly conciliatory words carried an undeniable authority.

Su Moqing knew that this was a way out given to her by the Imperial Concubine, and also a guarantee for both of them—keeping her in the palace was not only a genuine appreciation of her painting skills, but also a bargaining chip to restrain the Shen family, and a way to show the Shen family an attitude.

She lowered her eyes and bowed respectfully: "This humble woman obeys your command. It is an honor for this humble woman to paint for Your Highness."

The Imperial Concubine nodded in satisfaction, her gaze sweeping over the rouge box once more. As if remembering something, she said calmly before leaving, "Tell Shen Rulan that I have received her sentiments. Let her focus on managing the Shen family. As long as she remains loyal to the court and doesn't commit any major mistakes, I will ensure her safety."

After saying that, he turned and left the side hall with his personal maid.

Even after the imperial concubine's figure had completely disappeared into the night, Su Moqing remained standing there, motionless for a long time.

The moonlight outside the window was still bright, and the shadows of the crabapple trees swayed gently, but her heart was in turmoil as she processed everything that had happened on this thrilling night.

She walked to the window, watching the first light of dawn breaking in the east, her heart filled with mixed emotions. There was surprise, joy, worry, and also a sense of relief.

She took out the secret letter hidden at the bottom of the rouge box and, by the light of the lamp, slowly burned it.

The paper turned to ashes and scattered in the wind, like those past crises and anxieties.

Then, on the new letter paper, she wrote sixteen short characters with delicate strokes:

"The storm has subsided, and the phoenix has returned to its roost. I will devote myself to painting and await my return."

She knew that Shen Rulan would understand—"Phoenix" refers to the Imperial Concubine, and "Wutong" refers to Changchun Palace, meaning that the Imperial Concubine already knew the truth and provided protection; she needed to stay in the palace and paint in peace, waiting for the right opportunity to embark on her journey home.

As the letter was being sent out of the palace through a special channel left by Lin Xiao, a fast horse was also galloping out of the capital towards the Chengde Mountain Resort—where the Emperor was currently on an inspection tour.

The man on horseback carried a secret memorial written by the Imperial Concubine herself. The memorial detailed Wen Shichang's crimes, including colluding with the remnants of the Cao family, embezzling palace funds, soliciting bribes, and framing others. The evidence was irrefutable, and every word was filled with anguish. However, the memorial made no mention of Shen Rulan's true identity as a woman disguised as a man.

Deep within the palace walls, everyone is like a chess piece on a board, powerless and swept along by the tide.

But some people, in the game of fate, can see the situation clearly, seize the opportunity, and become players who control their own destiny and even influence the destiny of others. The Imperial Concubine was like this, and so was Shen Rulan…