scandal
The next morning, before the mist had cleared, Liang Hongyu, dressed in her everyday clothes, was about to conduct her routine inspection of the city defenses when Qiu Feng hurried over and whispered the news of the royal family's death and the "scandal" that had rocked the city.
Liang Hongyu's hand was on the cold hilt of the sword, and she paused abruptly when she heard this. "Dead? When? How did he die?"
"They say... they were discovered this morning, along with a servant..." The guard's voice dropped even lower, a hint of confusion lingering in his voice. "It's all over the place. They say... it was a filthy mess. The two of them were found lying naked in bed by the maid who was cleaning the room this morning."
Liang Hongyu's brows furrowed. While the woman at last night's banquet was detestable, her crime wasn't worthy of death, and certainly not of ending up in such disgrace overnight. This death was too bizarre, and too... vicious.
She immediately thought of Princess Roufu's pale face last night, and the coldness in her eyes that flashed, in addition to pain, as if her whole body was tempered with ice.
Is it her or the government?
Liang Hongyu held the wooden hairpin given to her by the princess in her hand, and a chill rose in her heart. The princess who returned from the purgatory in the north was by no means just a weak victim in need of protection. Beneath the body that had endured great suffering, there was a terrifying tenacity that could survive in desperate situations, and... perhaps a ruthlessness born out of self-protection.
"Come on, follow me to Zui Xiang Lou." Liang Hongyu said to Qiu Feng. Zui Xiang Lou was a secret base she secretly set up, specializing in collecting all kinds of information in the capital.
Liang Hongyu brought Qiufeng with her, not in military uniform, but dressed like ordinary wealthy ladies, their faces covered by veils and gauze, and quietly entered Zuixianglou through a side door. This restaurant was built on the riverside, with three stories of eaves. Although not as bustling during the day as at night, it was still bustling with people from all walks of life, making it a place where news circulated quickly.
The shopkeeper's eyes flickered slightly when he saw Liang Hongyu, then he put on a warm smile and personally led the two to a private room on the second floor, situated by a window but secluded. Outside the window was a view of the gently flowing river and the bustling dock, while from inside, the sounds of the lobby and corridor could be clearly heard.
"Madam, what would you like to order today?" the shopkeeper asked with a bow, his tone as respectful as usual.
"A pot of your newly arrived Longjing tea and a few exquisite snacks will be all that's needed," Liang Hongyu said calmly. After the shopkeeper retreated to the door, she added casually, "There seems to be some commotion in the city today. What's going on?"
The shopkeeper paused, then immediately turned back, speaking in a very low voice: "Madam, please understand... a huge scandal has occurred... Princess Rongchang, the one... who was too talkative at the palace banquet last night, was found dead in her room this morning. The situation... was terrible." He quickly repeated the version of the story that was widely circulated outside, "the adultery was exposed and she died suddenly on the spot", and there was a bit of panic and uncertainty in his words.
Liang Hongyu listened quietly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the warm teacup. "Oh? So this is true. Although the princess' words and actions were inappropriate, she was still a member of the royal family. This way of death... is too strange. Did anyone hear anything unusual? Or see any unfamiliar faces?"
The shopkeeper pondered for a moment, then leaned closer, his voice as soft as a mosquito's. "To be honest, madam, I find this strange too. The rules at the Princess's residence are so strict, how could such a mistake have occurred? A familiar peddler passed by that alley early this morning and said that at daybreak he seemed to have seen two dark figures climbing over the back wall of the mansion. They were extremely agile, unlike ordinary thieves... But he was afraid of getting into trouble, so he didn't dare to tell anyone. Besides..."
He hesitated for a moment. "The Princess's residence quietly summoned an old doctor they know this morning, but he apparently sent him away before he even got through. They said... the patient was already beyond saving and there was no need to examine him. But if he died suddenly from debauchery, why wouldn't even the doctor be allowed to examine him closely?"
Liang Hongyu's eyes narrowed. A dark shadow? No inspection allowed? This couldn't be explained by a simple "scandal."
At this time, a faint noise could be heard from the lobby downstairs. Several drinkers who had obviously just heard the news were talking about it with saliva flying.
"...So, the mouth can cause disaster! I'm afraid I caused a big disaster last night!"
"Who said it was a disaster? Maybe I just couldn't stand the loneliness..."
"Come on! Why didn't something happen sooner or later, but it happened right after I said that last night? Do you believe in this 'coincidence' in Lin'an?"
"Hush—keep your voice down! Don't you want your head? I heard..." The man's voice suddenly dropped, but Liang Hongyu's inner strength was profound. With her concentration, she vaguely caught a few fragmented words, "...that person...in the palace...whose methods are powerful...to silence people..."
Another voice retorted, but with a guilty tone: "Not really... maybe... the emperor is furious? After all, it's a disgrace to the royal family..."
"Official? If an official wants to save face, wouldn't a cup of poisoned wine and a piece of white silk be cleaner? Why resort to such a vile method, causing a public outcry and only making things more embarrassing? This seems like... a woman's method, cruel and ruthless, and it also ruins people's reputation..."
Seeing this, the shopkeeper whispered, "Madam, everyone's speculating like this now... but no one dares to delve into it. It's just... there was a servant in the Rongchang County Lord's mansion. When she came out to take out the trash this morning, she was distracted and muttered to someone that the food and wine delivered last night... didn't seem to be made in the kitchen as usual, and the food boxes were different... but she was quickly scolded by the mansion's steward..."
Food and wine? Different food boxes?
Liang Hongyu's heart sank. The fragments of the clues slowly pieced together in her mind: the precise timing, the shadowy figure who seemed to be silencing her, the prevented inspection, the suspicious food and drink, and ultimately, the rumors that pointed to the palace, especially to Princess Roufu...
This was unlike the emperor's tactics, as Zhao Gou preferred to cover up the incident respectably rather than create a more shameful scandal. This was more like a revenge carried out with strong personal emotions, and he did not hesitate to use the most humiliating means to permanently eliminate the trouble.
It was her. Probably her.
Liang Hongyu waved the shopkeeper away. Only she and Qiufeng remained in the private room. The bustling market outside the window accentuated the dead silence inside.
Liang Hongyu's heart was in a state of confusion. On the one hand, she hoped that Roufu would be able to protect herself in Lin'an City. On the other hand, she hoped that Roufu would still be the naive young woman who knew nothing about the world, still possessing a soft and kind side. However, after experiencing the "Jingkang Incident," even the most gentle woman would be worn down beyond recognition by reality.
"Madam..." Qiu Feng's face was also filled with fear, "If it is really...that princess...she..."
Liang Hongyu raised her hand to stop her from speaking, her eyes cast towards the muddy river outside the window. After a long moment, she slowly spoke, her voice carrying a hint of heavy fatigue:
"In this Lin'an City, among those who survived... whose hands are truly clean?"
"Let's go." She stood up. "We already know what we need to know."
The Shaoxing Peace Agreement between Song and Jin was signed one month after Yue Fei's death. The two sides agreed to draw the border along the middle reaches of the Huai River. The Song Dynasty ceded Tang and Deng states to Jin, and paid an annual tribute of 250,000 taels of silver and 250,000 pieces of silk. The two sides rested their troops and rested their people, and each side defended its own territory. The coffin of Emperor Huizong and Empress Dowager Wei were returned to the Song Dynasty.
After the peace agreement was reached, Zhao Gou ordered people to prepare for the return of Huizong's coffin and Empress Dowager Wei to the Song Dynasty, and issued an order early on to build a Taoist temple to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday in preparation for the Empress Dowager's return to the south next year.
In April, Empress Dowager Wei and her coffin set out from Wuguo City. Jin sent Wanyan Zongxian, Liu Tao and Gao Ju'an to escort the Empress Dowager back to Song.
On the 15th day of the sixth lunar month, Empress Dowager Wei returned to the palace, boarding a boat from Dongping and sailing along the Qinghe River to the border of Chuzhou. Zhao Gou ordered the Empress Dowager's brother, Prince Pingle Wei Yuan, along with Emperor Renzong's daughter, the Grand Princess of Qin and Lu, and Emperor Zhezong's daughter, the Grand Princess of Wu, to go ahead and greet the Empress Dowager. Princess Roufu was also originally ordered to join the reception, but she declined, citing illness. Although displeased, Zhao Gou did not force her, simply asking her to rest and recuperate at home.
On the 23rd day of the eighth month, Zhao Gou personally left Lin'an, accompanied by 2,483 soldiers and yellow banners, to greet the Empress Dowager at Linping Town. The prime minister, the military commanders of the two provincial governments, and the three yamen all accompanied him. Imperial Consort Wu Yingfu also accompanied her two adopted sons, Prince Yuan of Pu'an and Duke Qu of Chongguo. Upon meeting her son, Empress Dowager Wei emerged from the imperial carriage without waiting for Zhao Gou to perform the full ceremony. She grasped her son's hand and wept, "I thought we would never meet again in this life, but now we are finally together. It feels like a lifetime ago. I fear we are still dreaming."
After shedding tears for a while with Zhao Gou, she pointed at the coffin of Queen Xing and said, "It's a pity that your virtuous queen has left you and me and passed away. Although her remains have returned, her voice and face are gone. How can I not be heartbroken?"
Zhao Gou became even more sad after hearing this. He walked to the coffin of Queen Xing, stroked the coffin and wept sadly.
Seeing this, Concubine Wu turned silently to look at Qin Hui. Qin Hui understood and stepped forward to persuade Zhao Gou: "Life and fortune are determined by heaven and cannot be reversed by human beings. Now that the Empress Dowager has returned to the court, the whole world celebrates. I hope Your Majesty will not grieve too much."
Zhao Gou then wiped his tears, adjusted his expression a little, and ordered Concubine Wu to bring Yuan and Yu over, and kneel down to pay homage to the empress dowager.
Empress Dowager Wei, seeing the two handsome boys kneeling before her, both in their teens, decided that they were Zhao Gou's biological sons. She was delighted and before Yuan and Qu could even open their mouths to greet them, she smiled and said to Yinggu, "These two boys are very handsome, but they are both your biological sons."
Concubine Wu felt slightly embarrassed, but she still told the truth: "I was unlucky and could not give birth to a prince for the emperor. My eldest and second brothers were chosen by the emperor from among the royal family and ordered to be raised by me in the imperial palace."
Empress Dowager Wei was originally waiting for Concubine Wu to give a positive answer with a smile, but she didn't expect to hear this explanation. Her smile faltered and she subconsciously asked: "Then does your Majesty have..."
Before she could finish her words, she knew it was inappropriate and swallowed them. Concubine Wu naturally knew that the Queen Mother wanted to ask "Does the emperor have a biological prince?" But with Zhao Gou beside her, she did not dare to answer and remained silent.
Empress Dowager Wei saw this and was disappointed, her smile fading. Concubine Wu immediately urged the two princes softly, "Hurry up and pay your respects to the Empress Dowager."
Before Zhao Yuan could speak immediately, Zhao Qu kowtowed twice and called out loudly, "Qu respectfully welcomes the Empress back to the palace. Long live the Empress! Long live the Empress!"
When Empress Dowager Wei heard Qu's affectionate call, she couldn't help but smile again and said to Qu in a gentle voice, "Be good."
After saying this, his eyes slowly shifted to Yuan. Yuan then kowtowed again, her attitude respectful, but she only said: "Long live the Empress Dowager."
Empress Dowager Wei smiled at Zhao Gou and said, "This child is quite steady." She then turned her head and asked Concubine Wu, "What is this boy's name?"
Concubine Wu bowed and replied, "The Emperor bestowed upon me the name Yuan... which is the same character as Princess Roufu's maiden name."
Concubine Wu smiled and explained, "She is Princess Roufu. The Emperor thought the title 'Princess' was unlucky, so he changed it to Princess. After Princess Roufu returned south in the fourth year of Jianyan, the Emperor granted her the title Princess Roufu. The Princess was supposed to come to greet the Empress Dowager today, but she has been seriously ill for the past few days and cannot leave the bed. Therefore, she asked me to congratulate the Queen Mother on her behalf and to say that she would come to the palace to pay her respects as soon as she felt better."
Like a sudden frost, Empress Dowager Wei's face instantly turned cold. She motioned calmly with her hand for everyone to stand, then turned back to the imperial carriage and sat down, saying, "Go back."
Zhao Gou then ordered his troops to return to the city and led all the officials to lead the coffins of the emperor and empress. At this time, he suddenly saw that behind the three coffins, there was another small coffin. There was no decoration or spirit tablet on it, so he couldn't tell whose coffin it was.
So he asked the Queen Mother: "Is the coffin behind the coffin also that of a relative?"
Empress Dowager Wei did not answer, but continued with a sullen expression, "We'll discuss this in detail after we return to the palace."
Back at Lin'an Palace, Zhao Gou hosted a banquet to celebrate the Empress Dowager's return. He also invited the Jin envoys, Wanyan Zongxian, Liu Tao, and Gao Ju'an, who had escorted her home. Empress Dowager Wei, however, said she was tired from the journey and wanted to rest for a while, so she did not attend. Zhao Gou, therefore, addressed the Jin envoys alone, offering a few words of thanks. Liu Tao and Gao Ju'an occasionally exchanged words with Zhao Gou, but Wanyan Zongxian remained unusually silent, drinking alone. Beyond the initial politeness, he remained silent. Zhao Gou occasionally glanced at him, but did not initiate any conversation.
After the Jin envoy returned to the embassy, Zhao Gou ordered another family banquet to be held in the inner hall. This time, Empress Dowager Wei came out. Concubine Wu hurriedly stood up to greet her and helped the Empress Dowager to sit down. She stood aside at first, and only sat down after the Empress Dowager asked her to sit down.
Although it was just a family dinner, the etiquette followed the pattern of the Emperor and Empress's Holy Day.
After the banquet, Zhao Gou followed Queen Dowager Wei to Fengyi Palace, which was the bedroom he specially prepared for the empress dowager. Empress Xing had lived here before, but now that he learned that Xing was dead, he ordered people to clean up Fengyi Palace for the empress dowager to live in.
Zhao Gou asked if Empress Dowager Wei was doing well in the Jin Kingdom. Her eyes, which had just been smiling, suddenly changed. Zhao Gou saw the pain in them and knew that she must have experienced some painful things during this trip, so he did not mention it again.
He dismissed the eunuchs and asked, "There is no one in the hall at this time. Can the Queen Mother tell me who is in the coffin?"
Empress Dowager Wei's eyes flickered as she said, "It's Princess Roufu."
Zhao Gou was stunned, thinking he had heard wrongly, "But the ninth sister has already escaped and returned, she is in the palace now." Roufu was Zhao Ji's ninth daughter, so Zhao Gou called her the ninth sister.
The candlelight in the hall was bright, illuminating Empress Dowager Wei's slightly pale and tense face. When she heard Zhao Gou's question, tears instantly filled her eyes, and her voice trembled with humiliation that was difficult to express:
"Gou'er...you've been deceived! The 'Rou Fu' who is now in the palace is an imposter!"
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