"If the emperor's eldest grandson were born before the Autumn Festival," Yang Guifei traced the map with her nails painted with rouge, "those old men in the Ministry of Rites would definitely nominate Xin Yiwei to preside over the ceremony." She suddenly chuckled, "Fortunately, the second prince's wife's pregnancy is unstable."
The octagonal palace lantern cast an eerie light and shadow. Xinyi Zigu looked at the newly white hair on his mother's temples and suddenly remembered that winter night last year—when the fifth princess clutched her bloodied swaddling clothes and begged, his mother had stroked the map and smiled softly.
"I won't bother you." He stood up and straightened his python-patterned robe. "I heard the Imperial Hospital is testing a new prescription recently."
Amidst the sound of the night watch, Xin Yidao stroked the dark veins of the walnut. A shadowy East Factory guard appeared, like a ghost: "The secret correspondence between the Yongchang Earl's Mansion and the Yang family has been presented to His Majesty as instructed by His Highness."
"Not enough." The prince used his fingertips to remove the wax from the letter. "Add more fire, and let Fourth Brother's people find out that Second Brother is privately forging weapons in Mobei."
The secret guard received the order and was about to leave when he was suddenly stopped by someone: "Is Miss Jiang okay?"
"The Marquis's secret sentry reported that Miss Jiang went to the Imperial Prison tonight."
Xinyi Daoyi suddenly clenched the walnut, and cracks spread along the wolf-head totem. In the imperial prison's torture chamber, Jiang Songyi pressed the branding iron to Yu Chuwei's collarbone—the wolf-head tattoo that should have been there was now imprinted on Xinyi Zigu's secret letter.
"Your Highness!" the secret guard suddenly reported, "The Fourth Prince has gone to the Buddhist temple!"
Xinyi Daoyi pushed open the window lattice, looked at the Big Dipper, and chuckled softly: "Put the memorial about the flood in the south of the Yangtze River into the Buddhist scriptures and say." The night wind blew up his white inner garment, "Say that the Fourth Prince's filial piety moved heaven, and he wants to copy ten thousand volumes of Buddhist scriptures for the victims."
The Buddhist hall was ablaze with candlelight. Xinyi Zigu dropped his third wolf-hair brush. Ink splattered across the Diamond Sutra, like bloodstains on the walls of an imperial prison. The young eunuch nervously presented the food box: "Almond curd, a gift from the Imperial Concubine."
Xinyi Zigu scooped up a spoonful of curdled milk and suddenly caught sight of a dark pattern on the bottom of the bowl—the very mark used by the Yang family's death squad to communicate. He rubbed his fingertips across the glazed surface and sneered, "Tell my mother I'll definitely copy the scriptures carefully."
The night watch ticked, and the scent of ink mixed with the stench of blood drifted over the palace walls. Jiang Songyi climbed the stone steps of the imperial prison, the jade bracelet on her wrist catching the dim light of the cell. Yu Chuwei curled in a corner and chuckled, "Young lady, do you know what this tattoo is for?" She tore open her prisoner's uniform, revealing the jade seal beneath the wolf head totem.
"The imperial seal of the Mobei royal court." Jiang Songyi lifted Yu Chuwei's chin with the tip of his sword. "No wonder the Second Prince was so anxious to silence her."
As the waning moon sank in the west, an army of eight hundred miles rushed through Xuanwu Gate. The emperor, looking at the familiar wolf-head seal on the battle report, suddenly vomited black blood. "Send the message. Send the message to the crown prince."
…
Yang Guifei put down her teacup heavily and said, "Your marriage to a wife cannot be delayed any longer. I will never allow that wild girl Jiang Songyi to enter the palace. Although Jiang Yuyao is a concubine, the Yongding Marquis's Mansion is willing to let her be the second lady, which shows that the Jiang family recognizes this daughter." She twirled her jade Buddhist beads and sneered, "Having a concubine is enough to tie the Yongding Marquis's Mansion to her."
The fourth prince stroked the jade pendant on his waist and said, "But the Marquis of Yongding seems to value the legitimate daughter more."
"What kind of trouble can Jiang Songyi cause?" Yang Guifei threw the scroll on the table. "For the main wife, I have my eyes on Deng Mingxi, the eldest daughter of Duke Dingguo. Although the Duke Dingguo's Mansion has no military power, it has a deep foundation in the six ministries. Your father has already allowed him to guard the border. This marriage must be arranged before he leaves the capital."
The Fourth Prince unfolded the scroll. The woman in the painting had a well-proportioned face, but was not stunningly beautiful. He recalled the stunning looks of the Jiang sisters, and the corners of his mouth drooped.
"Marry a virtuous woman!" Yang Guifei glared at him. "Deng Mingxi's mother, Cui, committed a crime a few years ago, but the Duke of Dingguo is a century-old prestigious family. A lean camel is bigger than a horse. Besides," she lowered her voice, "the Crown Prince has been trying to win over the Marquis of Yongding recently. We have to get ahead of him."
The next morning court session.
Yongding Marquis Jiang Dinglian strode out and said, "I want to accuse the Fourth Prince of three crimes!" His voice was like a resounding bell, shaking the dust from the beams. "First, he is disrespectful to his elder brother. Second, he framed the Crown Prince. Third, he forced my daughter to be his concubine!"
The whole court was in uproar. The emperor on the dragon throne frowned: "Force your benefactor to become a concubine?"
Grand Tutor Yang stepped out tremblingly and said, "I heard that the daughter of the Earl of Yongchang volunteered."
"Bullshit!" Jiang Dinglian interrupted directly, "What decent man would take his savior as a concubine?" He suddenly pointed at the Minister of War, Wu Lihan, "Just like the savior that Lord Wu took in, didn't he end up being a spy?"
Wu Lihan blushed: "My Lord, it's not your fault."
"I was gathering intelligence for the country!" Jiang Dinglian said confidently, "That spy caused chaos in the mansion, forcing me to not dare enter the main room for three months - Madam Wu knows this best, she and my wife are close friends."
Everyone in the Censorate was shaking with laughter. The Emperor rubbed his temples and said, "Let's get down to business!"
"The Fourth Prince sent someone to falsely convey the Crown Prince's order and lure my daughter to a villa on the outskirts of the city." Jiang Dinglian took out a blood-stained handkerchief. "If this old minister had not arrived in time, my daughter would have 'fallen into the water'!" The four-clawed python pattern embroidered on the corner of the handkerchief stung the emperor's eyes.
"What a jerk Jiang Dinglian!" Yang Guifei smashed the entire celadon tea set. "I haven't even complained about his daughter being rude, but he dares to bite back!"
The Fourth Prince clenched his fists and said, "I have made all the necessary arrangements."
"Do you think the Marquis of Yongding is a pushover? He was only fourteen years old and he dared to single-handedly break into the enemy camp!" Yang Guifei stared at the porcelain pieces scattered on the floor. "Go and bring Jiang Yuyao into the palace. I want to see if the Marquis of Yongding is willing to part with his daughter!"
Jiang Yuyao held the Imperial Concubine's edict in her hand and chuckled, "When my father kicked my mother out of the house, did he ever imagine this day would come?"
Jiang Dinglian wiped his spear with his back to her: "Your mother is a spy from Southern Tang."
"So father doesn't even want his own daughter?" She threw the imperial edict into the brazier, "Tell the imperial concubine that I want to be the principal wife."
"impossible."
"Then the daughter had no choice but to tell the Fourth Prince why her father 'happened' to appear in Cuiwei Mountain when the Crown Prince was assassinated." The flames licked the bright yellow silk, making her eyebrows and eyes look as charming as a ghost.
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