Chapter 3 Pine Tree Embracing Snow (Part 3) "The plaque above the East Palace is empty..."
Then a royal physician came to take her pulse, and Ji Weixian happened to follow in, carrying a bowl of porridge. After taking her pulse, Yan Chao asked a few questions about her condition as usual. When she took the bowl of porridge and was about to serve her, the emperor was unusually gentle, only saying that it was getting late and she should be careful when she went back.
Before leaving, the emperor suddenly added, "After all, Consort Ning raised you for many years and has been kind to you. If you have time, go and visit her. Since you moved into the Eastern Palace, she has been very lonely."
Yan Chao was slightly surprised, but still replied, "Yes." She was naturally grateful for Consort Ning's kindness, but if she visited Consort Ning's palace too often, it would inevitably attract gossip. Therefore, most of the time she would send someone to inquire after Consort Ning's well-being and secretly keep an eye on her.
A moment after she left, another person slipped into the warm pavilion. Lan Huaien shook off the chill from her body at the door before bowing and entering to see the emperor.
"Your Majesty, we've found out!"
.
Yan Chao naturally didn't hear those words. It was already dark when she left the Qianqing Palace, and her eunuch Liang Lu had already prepared a fox fur coat for her, which he promptly draped over her shoulders, as the night air was bitterly cold. However, when the sedan chair was about a hundred paces from the East Palace, Yan Chao suddenly ordered it to stop.
Liang Lu was slightly taken aback: "Your Highness..."
"It's just a few steps, I'd like to walk it."
Liang Lu sighed helplessly, "Lord Shen just gave you this instruction today..."
Yan Chao shook his head slightly: "It's alright."
The two steps she took forward pulled her thoughts away, and some vague memories of the past suddenly flooded her mind.
During the Crown Prince's investiture ceremony that year, the solemn and tedious rituals, the constant chanting and drumming, she walked numbly under the guidance of the master of ceremonies, kneeling, rising, and performing the rituals with utmost respect and solemnity. Although the imperial robes fit her perfectly, she was already dizzy and lightheaded after completing the entire ceremony.
She still remembers that heavy, suffocating feeling. She glanced around casually and saw everyone with solemn expressions, as if they were on high alert, waiting for her to make a fool of herself.
She was thirteen years old at the time, having just struggled to survive days of constant anxiety. Through the majestic palace, she saw the sky and seemed to see a glimmer of hope.
After Crown Prince Zhaohuai passed away, he left behind an unborn son. According to the imperial lineage, this eldest grandson should have been made Crown Prince. However, before his death, Crown Prince Zhaohuai requested the emperor that if his wife gave birth to a boy, he should not be made Crown Prince, arguing that the young child was too immature and weak to shoulder such a responsibility. He also recommended Empress Wenhui's son, Yan Chao, as Crown Prince.
Later, the young prince was born prematurely. Due to congenital deficiencies, he was exceptionally weak from birth. In just one winter, he suffered several bouts of high fever and critical illness. Even though the imperial physicians did their best, they could not cure him. They said that he was at risk of dying young and that it would be difficult for him to grow up.
The emperor initially intended to immediately appoint his grandson as crown prince, but a dispute arose within the court. The crown prince was too young and sickly, which was not conducive to the stability of the nation. In addition, the emperor's most trusted Taoist priest also advised him using magic, saying that the grandson's fate was weak and his physique frail, and he might not be able to bear the crown prince's aura for the time being.
While the emperor hesitated, the now-adult second prince could no longer contain himself and launched a rebellion, attempting to seize the throne and assassinate the emperor. By the time the rebellion was quelled and the ringleaders executed, the emperor was utterly exhausted. The court officials once again raised the issue of establishing an heir, but the debate became even more pronounced: should they follow protocol and appoint the sickly grandson, or choose the newly-grown sixth prince, born of the legitimate wife?
This time, the emperor did not hesitate. He made a stroke of his pen, but his attitude was not firm: "Then let's go with the sixth prince."
However, the emperor refused to listen to any further advice. He immediately ordered his court officials to draft the edict of investiture and instructed the Crown Prince to hold the investiture ceremony after the sixth prince had completed his mourning period. He would not concern himself with any other matters.
That very night, Yan Chao was surrounded by guests and moved into the East Palace. She still remembered that day, standing alone in front of the East Palace gate, looking up at the sky.
The tall plaque was completely empty.
When Crown Prince Zhaohuai was still alive, the Eastern Palace was called Qingning Palace. When the Second Prince rebelled, he set fire to the palace, burning down some buildings. This plaque was also badly damaged and was taken down. After that, the emperor never bestowed a new name upon the palace, only the simple words "Eastern Palace" remained, and this has been the case for more than ten years.
That day, Consort Ning went to see her specially and made arrangements for her. She then held her hand, forcing back her tears, but couldn't help but worry: "This is to push you out to shield you from the storm. Who knows if one day it will happen again..." She comforted her: "Don't be afraid to be alone, Chao'er. If you feel lonely, come to Yongning Palace."
That night, she stayed in a strange and empty palace. With her eyes open in the darkness, she gradually realized that she would have to walk her own path from now on. She dared not trust anyone easily anymore and ventured into the Eastern Palace alone.
God knows how apprehensive she was during those two years.
The Emperor's will is unpredictable; he could very well rescind the decree at any moment, at which point her status as the so-called Crown Prince would be nothing but a joke. All she could do was study desperately, casting aside all distractions, striving to excel in both literary and military arts.
But things didn't always go as planned. Even though she earned the praise of the tutors in the Eastern Palace and gradually established a reputation for virtue in the court, due to differences in natural talent, she still had limitations that the emperor couldn't help but sigh, "She's not as good as her elder brother." All her efforts were in vain. But she had no right to be resentful or defeated; she could only grit her teeth and continue forward.
In the sixteenth year of the Xuan Ning era, the investiture ceremony for the Crown Prince was held as usual, and the coming-of-age ceremony was also held the following day. With all the ceremonies completed, she received the imperial seal and edict again, feeling somewhat at ease. The Emperor, having calmed down for two years, still decided to make her the Crown Prince; he probably wouldn't easily change the heir apparent.
The grandson was already over three years old. Although still thin and sickly, he was no longer as fragile as when he was an infant. He would even smile at her and ask her to hold him.
She knew that the court officials did not have sufficient reason to overturn the Taoist's teachings, nor would they dare to bear the responsibility of shaking the foundation of the country. She was also very clear that she had no need to regard an innocent child as a mortal enemy.
But that doesn't mean she wasn't worried.
But through these ups and downs, we've made it to this day. Occasionally, I can't help but wonder what Crown Prince Zhaohuai's state of mind was when he was in the Eastern Palace.
She had visited Qingning Palace several times, and each time she saw her elder brother, the Crown Prince, she was captivated by his gentle and dignified demeanor. His knowledge and character seemed to have destined him to be the Crown Prince.
The Emperor's expectations for Crown Prince Zhaohuai were naturally far greater than hers. Among all the princes, aside from her status as the eldest son of the empress, she had always seemed unremarkable. She herself was aware of this. Even the Second Prince, who dared to seize the throne, only dared to act with impunity because of the Emperor's favor, and even arranged for spies to plot a rebellion right under the Emperor's nose.
Not to mention Prince Xin, who is currently favored by the emperor. There was once a rumor that the emperor wanted to abandon the order of succession and seniority and make him the crown prince.
Yan Chao initially disbelieved it, but upon further reflection, she realized that since the emperor could abandon the position of crown prince based on sorcery, it wasn't impossible for him to use celestial omens to depose the legitimate heir and install a son of a concubine. Moreover, the emperor had already allowed Prince Xin to interfere in court affairs, so she had to be careful.
She stopped, momentarily lost in thought. She felt as if a dense net had woven around her, trapping her.
Does she regret it? Perhaps not, she's just tired.
Her thoughts were thus silently scattered. She stared at her own steps and remembered something insignificant.
On the day she first entered the Eastern Palace, it seemed she was walking to this very spot when she tripped and nearly fell. Someone nearby caught her. She remembered turning around and discovering that the person wasn't Liang Lu, but Lan Huai'en.
It was from the time she entered the Eastern Palace that Lan Huaien began to thrive in the Directorate of Ceremonial.
She still can't forget those humble eyes, but Lan Huaien has long since risen to prominence.
Yan Chao turned around and looked into the endless darkness. There wasn't a single star in the sky, and although there were lamps along the palace road, it still felt dark. She asked a young eunuch for a lamp and carried it on her way.
With a bowed head, a bright light shimmered before my feet. The light moved as I walked, and my shadow followed, until I merged into a vast sea of light, yet I remained just a tiny speck of starlight in a corner.
When Yan Chao returned to her bedchamber, her face was pale. Her wet nurse, Ying Shi, brought her some ginger soup and watched her drink it while nagging and scolding her for not taking care of her health.
She smiled and admitted her mistake helplessly: "Yingniang, I understand."
When Ying entered the palace, she was not selected from among the common people through a civil service examination, but rather recommended by the Cui family. Her background was thoroughly investigated. Ying had just lost her husband, and her three-month-old daughter had tragically died in an accident. Furthermore, she had elderly relatives at home who needed her care in their final days. When the Cui family came to her door, she agreed to go.
Having just experienced the pain of losing her child, she saw all the children of noble birth in the harem as treasures. She treated them as her own for over a decade, and naturally, they also held a place in the Crown Prince's heart.
Lady Ying was closest to the Crown Prince and knew that it had not been easy for her to hide her true gender all these years, so she became even more cautious.
Ying took the bowl and left. Liang Lu then came in and said, "Your Highness, Xiao Jiu has investigated and found that Lord Shen's misfortune today was indeed for a reason. A few days ago, on the birthday of Censor Xu Zhen's mother, Lord Shen visited the Xu family. I heard that after giving gifts, the two had a very pleasant conversation. I'm afraid that Eunuch Lan holds a grudge against him because of this."
The feud between Lan Huaien and the Xu family was known throughout the capital. Before entering the palace, he was originally surnamed Xu and happened to be Xu Zhen's younger brother. However, Lan Huaien was the son of a concubine and was not favored by Xu's mother, Madam Feng. He was even driven out of the house. Later, he somehow ended up in the palace as a eunuch.
Lan Huaien is currently enjoying immense success and can often outshine Xu Zhen. He is petty by nature and can't stand anyone being on good terms with Xu Zhen.
Yan Chao sighed softly, "Shen Wei wasn't the only one who sent gifts, so why did they target him?"
Liang Lu pondered for a moment, then shook her head and said, "This servant does not know."
"Forget it, His Majesty has now ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate, so we can't interfere secretly. The Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander Lu Xun and Lan Huai'en have always been mortal enemies, and there's also Ji Weixian blocking the way. It's good enough that Lan Huai'en can get away unscathed."
The hall was brightly lit. Yan Chao stared at the candlelight for a while until the light in front of him spread out, creating a hazy, indistinct scene. He was clearly not thinking about anything, but he felt inexplicably dazed. When he came back to his senses, his eyes were a little sore.
She suddenly sighed and asked, "Liang Lu, do you think His Majesty prefers the eldest grandson or the Prince Xin?"
Liang Lu dared not reply to this, and knowing her temperament, he could not offer flattery. After hesitating for a moment, he only replied, "The Emperor's intentions are unpredictable, and this servant dares not speak rashly."
Yan Chao shook her head and ignored him, walking towards the inner room while muttering, "...But all the things Prince Xin did in secret were planned by the Li family. Even if there were oversights, His Majesty turned a blind eye..."
His voice trailed off towards the end, and he simply shut up again.
Take this incident, for example. Prince Xin must have been involved, but even if the Li family is dragged into it, Prince Xin's position will not be shaken.
.
Yan Chao slept very restlessly that night.
The first half of the night felt like she was under a nightmare. She was trapped in an impenetrable net, surrounded by betrayal, accusations, criticism, violence, and murderous intent. She covered her ears tightly, closed her eyes, and tried to escape, but her feet seemed nailed to the ground, unable to take a single step.
Just as she steeled herself, ready to fight to the death, a horse suddenly appeared beneath her. In a panic, she grabbed the reins, but the horse bolted uncontrollably, galloping so fast that everything around her blurred. She didn't know where she would crash, the wind whistling past her ears like sharp blades.
She was terrified.
But then I heard someone laughing. And the laughter was so clear and pleasant.
A familiar voice struck her heart, soft and earnest: "Chao'er, come back and play with your sister..."
...
She awoke with a start the moment she fell off the cliff. Her body jerked as if out of control, and she was drenched in cold sweat. But the instant she opened her eyes, her thoughts raced, and she could not remember anything from the dream.
She looked around blankly. A sliver of light peeked in from somewhere in the darkness, and the warmth of the charcoal stove gently soothed her. Her breathing gradually calmed down, and just then, she heard the sound of a night watchman's gong.
A rustling sound came from outside the tent. After a moment, Ying asked in a deliberately low voice, "Your Highness?"
Yan Chao was surprised to find Ying Shi still there. He responded softly and saw her holding a small lamp by the bedside.
The room was quiet.
"It's already past midnight, Your Highness, are you having a nightmare?"
She nodded slightly, reached out and pulled back the curtain, her voice a little hoarse: "After all these years, Yingniang still hasn't told me how Mother died back then."
Ying was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to ask this. She knelt down beside the couch, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and then lowered her head to answer, "Everyone in the palace knows that Her Majesty suffered a difficult childbirth when she gave birth to the Fifth Princess. She didn't take good care of herself, which led to a chronic illness that was difficult to cure, and she suddenly passed away..."
Were you there at the time?
"Yes, this servant witnessed Her Highness's passing with her own eyes..."
Yan Chao closed his eyes wearily, still feeling a chill: "I wasn't in the palace those few days. Later, I vaguely heard that the Empress Dowager was depressed and her condition worsened due to excessive worry. Within a month of her death, several imperial physicians who had treated her died one after another, and several of Cui's uncles and cousins in the capital were demoted and forced to leave the capital. Are you going to tell me that all of this is just a coincidence?"
In the dim light, she couldn't see Ying's face clearly, but she could tell something was wrong from her slightly trembling body. She had suspected something was amiss for some time, but her investigation had been fruitless. This disappointment was exactly what she expected.
"I'm fine now, you can go."
She sighed softly, lowered the curtain, and lay down on the inner side, but she couldn't fall asleep at all. She opened her eyes wide, trying to see something clearly, but all she could see was darkness.
Ying slowly stood up, and as she turned around, she saw her own slightly dejected shadow, swaying and somewhat eerily unsettling. She quickly turned off the light and quietly left.
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