Chapter 115
She lost. She had already lost the moment Song Qingyuan walked in. This daughter-in-law, whom she had never taken seriously, dealt her the most fatal blow in the gentlest tone.
Outside the palace, Emperor Jingming's conversation with Shen Yanzhi had also concluded. Seeing Song Qingyuan come out, Emperor Jingming's expression softened considerably. "How is it? Is your mother ready for dinner?"
Song Qingyuan knelt and replied, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty may be tired and hasn't used it yet. But your daughter-in-law has comforted her with a few words, and Your Majesty seems to have calmed down a little. I think she'll be fine after a rest."
Her words were perfectly accurate; they didn't involve any complaints, yet they hinted that the Empress was no longer seriously injured. Upon hearing this, the last trace of unhappiness in Emperor Jingming's heart vanished. He nodded, pleased, and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Having a daughter-in-law like you is a blessing for Yanzhi and the imperial family."
He waved his hand: "You all go back. Just let her rest."
"Yes, I will take my leave."
On the way back to the East Palace, Shen Yanzhi did not ask what happened in the palace, but just held Song Qingyuan's hand tightly. Her hand was a little cold, but his palm was warm.
"Is everything settled?" he asked.
"Yeah." Song Qingyuan nodded, leaned on his shoulder, and closed her eyes. "It's solved for now. I gave her a reassurance pill and an intestinal penetrant. It depends on her which one she wants to take."
Shen Yanzhi chuckled and held her tighter. His Qingyuan would never let him down.
The illness in Kunning Palace came quickly and went away quickly.
The very next day after the Crown Prince and Princess Consort's visit, news spread from the palace that the Empress, under the Crown Princess's careful counseling, had begun eating and was in much better spirits. Two days later, the Empress was able to get out of bed and walk around. Although still thin, she was no longer seriously ill.
This change gave rise to countless interpretations in the eyes of the officials in the court.
Some believed that the Crown Prince and Princess were benevolent and filial, taking the greater good into consideration, proactively appeasing the Empress, and resolving a rift within the Imperial Family, a blessing for the nation. Most of these people were already loyal to the Crown Prince.
Some believe that this was a shrewd move by the Empress, a strategy of retreating to advance, which not only protected her own safety but also deterred the Crown Prince from overdoing things, leaving room for future maneuver. These people were mostly experienced ministers who were shrewd and accustomed to guessing the intentions of their superiors.
A few, especially officials with ties to the Duke of Wei's mansion, secretly speculated whether this was some kind of tacit understanding between the Crown Prince and the Empress. The downfall of the Prince of Wei was inevitable, and both sides backed off to save the royal family's reputation and not delve further into the matter. This seemed the most reasonable explanation.
For a time, the political climate in the capital became somewhat nuanced. The turbulent uproar over the Prince of Wei's treason case seemed to have subsided, but beneath the surface, countless undercurrents were quietly surging.
East Palace, study.
Song Qingyuan was carefully pruning a pot of Clivia with a pair of small silver shears. The plant was in excellent condition, its leaves thick, glossy, and arranged in a well-proportioned pattern. She snipped off a slightly yellowing bottom leaf with a focused and meticulous hand.
"What's going on at Duke Wei's Mansion recently?" She asked softly without turning around.
Shen Yanzhi was sitting at the desk across from her, flipping through a stack of secret reports. Hearing this, he looked up from the files and his gaze fell on her demure figure, his eyes soft. "Very quiet, unusually quiet."
He picked up the top secret report and read, "Duke Wei, our uncle, has submitted three consecutive apologies since Second Brother's accident. One was for the Queen's poor parenting, another for the Prince of Wei's misconduct, and the last was for his own lax management of the household and his failure to advise the Prince of Wei in a timely manner. His words were sincere and heartfelt, clearing himself of all charges."
Song Qingyuan snorted softly and snipped off another dead leaf. "What a play! He's telling Father that what the Prince of Wei did was his own idea and had nothing to do with the Duke of Wei's Mansion. As his uncle, he can only be guilty of negligence."
"That's not all." Shen Yanzhi put down the secret report, walked over to her, picked up the leaf she had just cut, and looked at it. "He also voluntarily surrendered 30% of his assets, saying it would go to the national treasury to atone for the King of Wei's sins. My father was very pleased. Not only did he not punish him, but he praised him for his profound understanding of the country and said he was a pillar of the country."
"Pfft." Song Qingyuan couldn't help but burst out laughing. "30%? He probably handed over those shops and properties that were the least profitable, or even losing money? He traded a bunch of junk for a reputation of being 'righteous,' and he even silenced us at the same time. What a clever calculation."
"Very clever indeed." Shen Yanzhi tossed the leaves into a nearby bamboo basket. "He's tacked on himself, essentially cutting off his own tail to save his own life. He's making a strong gesture, leaving Father with no reason to attack him again. This way, the account book we have regarding the Duke of Wei's mansion becomes a hot potato. Once it's released, it won't be an exposé of guilt, but rather a ruthless political persecution of a loyal official who has already 'admitted his mistakes.' Father won't be able to get past that."
Song Qingyuan put down the silver scissors, wiped her hands with a handkerchief, and turned to look at him: "So, the Queen listened to me that day and immediately informed Duke Wei after returning. They figured out that a head-on confrontation wouldn't work, so they played a conspiracy with us."
"Yes." Shen Yanzhi sighed, "They are now taking the attitude of accepting beatings and scoldings without fighting back. If we continue to hold on to them, we will appear to be aggressive and lose the demeanor of the crown prince."
"That won't do." Song Qingyuan's eyes rolled, and he suddenly laughed, a smile that held a hint of cunning. "I've worked so hard to earn a good reputation in front of my father and the officials as someone who is 'virtuous and considerate of the overall situation.' I can't let them destroy it just like that. Even if they want to be cowards, they have to ask me for permission."
Shen Yanzhi raised his eyebrows and looked at her with interest: "Oh? What do you think, Crown Princess?"
Song Qingyuan walked to the desk, picked up a pen, and wrote two words on a piece of white paper: compensation.
"Relief?" Shen Yanzhi was puzzled.
"Yes, compensation." Song Qingyuan put down his pen and explained, "The Prince of Wei plotted treason and poisoned his brother and sister-in-law. Although he was the mastermind, there were always many innocent people who were coerced and deceived. For example, that shopkeeper Qian. Didn't the emperor say that he had made meritorious contributions while serving his sentence and could be given a lighter sentence? And didn't the court say that his family and other people implicated in this case would be compensated?"
Shen Yanzhi's eyes gradually brightened, and he instantly understood Song Qingyuan's intention.
Song Qingyuan continued, "For such a major case, there must be an explanation for the compensation money and regulations. This matter should be handled by the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites.
However, we can ask the emperor for permission. We can say that this incident was caused by the Eastern Palace, and we feel guilty about it. We are willing to take out a sum of money from the Eastern Palace's private treasury to be used specifically for compensating the victims.
At the same time, to demonstrate the emperor's great grace and to allow the Prince of Wei to rest assured in his "reflection" at the clan residence, we earnestly request that the Empress and the Duke of Wei's residence also participate in this relief effort."
She looked at Shen Yanzhi, her eyes sparkling: “Your Highness, what do you think of this idea?”
Shen Yanzhi almost clapped his hands and laughed.
It’s high, really high!
The Duke of Wei's mansion had just surrendered 30% of its "unprofitable" assets, earning a good reputation. Now, the Eastern Palace offered to provide relief to the victims and "kindly" invited them to join in. Could they refuse?
No! They had just pledged their loyalty to the Emperor, promising to atone for the King of Wei's crimes. Now the opportunity to provide compensation to the victims had arrived. If they refused, wouldn't they be slapping themselves in the face? Wouldn't that mean their previous "understanding of the great power" was all a facade?
But if you agree, it will be more interesting.
First, the compensation must be paid in real money! The Duke of Wei's family had just cut off their flesh, and now they were being forced to bleed again. This must be a tough feeling.
Second, who would lead this compensation package? Of course, it would be the Eastern Palace! If they participated, it would mean they would be subject to the Eastern Palace's orders and arrangements. This would be like putting their faces in front of the Eastern Palace and letting them get beaten.
Third, and most importantly, who are the recipients of the compensation? The victims of the Prince of Wei's case! Asking the relatives of the perpetrators to comfort the victims—how ironic is that? Every compensation, every visit, serves as a constant reminder of the crimes committed by the Prince of Wei and the Duke of Wei. They want this matter to be put to rest as quickly as possible, but the Eastern Palace insists on making it known to everyone, dragging them along to make this a grand spectacle!
This is not relief at all, this is clearly a heartbreak!
"Qingyuan," Shen Yanzhi held her hand and praised her sincerely, "What's wrong with your brain? If Duke Wei knew about your idea, I'm afraid he would even want to take back the 30% of the property he just handed over."
Song Qingyuan raised his chin proudly: "This is called throwing a stone to test the waters. Don't they want to be turtles? I will throw another hot stone on their shells to see if they can still shrink back."
"What a way to test the waters." Shen Yanzhi smiled. "I will bring this up at the imperial court tomorrow. I want to see what kind of expression will appear on the emperor's face when the time comes."
The couple smiled at each other, as if they had foreseen the sullen face of Duke Wei.
However, at this moment, Lin Xiaoshu hurriedly ran in from outside with a strange look on his face.
"Your Highness, Your Majesty, Chief Steward Fu sent me a message," she gasped. "Someone's coming from the palace... from the palace. It's... it's the head aunt of the Empress. She said she's here to bring you something under the Empress's order."
Send something?
Song Qingyuan and Shen Yanzhi exchanged a glance, both a little surprised. Shouldn't the Queen be sulking? Why would she suddenly send someone to deliver something?
"What is the gift?" Song Qingyuan asked.
Lin Xiaoshu's expression grew even more bizarre. She hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Two beauties have been sent... two beauties have been sent. They say... they're worried that it'll be too hard for you, Your Majesty, to take care of the Crown Prince alone, so they've chosen them especially for you, so you can... have children for His Highness."
As soon as Lin Xiaoshu finished speaking, the air in the study seemed to freeze for a moment.
The two people who were still smiling at each other at the heartbreaking "compensation" just a moment ago were stunned by the sudden "branching out" before the smiles on their faces completely disappeared.
Send two beauties to start a family?
Song Qingyuan was almost laughing with anger. The Queen's train of thought was truly extraordinary. Having just been outmaneuvered by them and suffered such a huge loss, instead of thinking about how to resolve the situation, she resorted to such a shabby harem woman's tactics?
Did he think Song Qingyuan was a jealous bastard who would throw Shen Yanzhi into a tizzy over two women and lose his composure? Or did he think Shen Yanzhi was a fool who could not walk at the sight of beauty and would ignore her, the Crown Princess?
It's really too much to underestimate them.
Shen Yanzhi's face instantly darkened, and the air around him was frighteningly low. He didn't even glance at the two so-called beauties, his gaze falling directly on Song Qingyuan, with a subtle hint of nervousness and inquiry. He was afraid she would misunderstand, afraid that she would be sad because of this.
Song Qingyuan winked at him reassuringly, her slight anger at the Queen's actions quickly giving way to a colder calculation. She turned around, her face once again plastered with the dignified smile of a woman who was considered "virtuous and kind, a model for the nation." However, the smile didn't reach her eyes, and instead carried a distant politeness.
"The Queen is so thoughtful." She walked slowly to the door, and her eyes finally fell on the two women standing with their heads bowed.
I have to admit, the Empress's vision was truly piercing. The two women, one in a lilac-colored silk gown, had a graceful figure, her features revealing a delicate, yet pitiful look, a quintessential Jiangnan charm. The other, in a vibrant imperial concubine's attire, was beautiful, her eyes radiating a captivating charm. Each woman, slender and graceful, each possessed a unique charm, truly a rare beauty.
Behind them, the aunt in charge was looking at Song Qingyuan with a smug look on her face, her eyes full of provocation and anticipation, as if she had already foreseen the discord between the couple and the chaos that was about to unfold in the Eastern Palace.
"Her Royal Highness," the aunt knelt, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, but loud enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear clearly, "Her Royal Highness has been busy with state affairs, and you've just been through a shock, so you need someone to tend to you. These two were carefully selected by Her Royal Highness. They have clean family backgrounds, gentle temperaments, and are extremely considerate. I hope Her Royal Highness will be magnanimous and provide for the expansion of the royal family and a long line of descendants, so as to live up to the high hopes of Her Majesty and Her Royal Highness."
These words were truly high-sounding. They were about concern for the Crown Prince and the royal bloodline, and they also gave her the accolade of being "magnanimous." If she refused, she would be inconsiderate of her husband, disregarding the royal heir, and even more jealous and ungenerous, unworthy of the Queen's "earnest efforts."
Song Qingyuan sneered in his heart. Want to see her make a fool of herself? That depends on whether she is willing to cooperate.
Not only did she not show the slightest sign of annoyance, but her smile became even more gentle and warm. She personally stepped forward and took the hand of the aunt in charge, acting as affectionately as if she were a sister.
"What are you talking about, aunt? The Empress Dowager is so considerate of me and Your Highness. I can't thank you enough, how could I possibly let you down?" Song Qingyuan's tone was filled with surprise and emotion. "My father and mother have always been worried about Your Highness's offspring, and as the Crown Princess, I'm naturally concerned about them day and night. But recently, the matter of the Prince of Wei caused panic among the people, and Your Highness and I really had no time to care about other things. Now, thank you, Empress Dowager, for taking the trouble to find two such lovely girls for Your Highness. It can be said that it has solved my urgent need."
The head aunt was taken aback by Song Qingyuan's sudden enthusiasm, and all the words she had prepared were stuck in her throat. She had expected Song Qingyuan to be furious, sarcastic, or even to send her away, but she had never imagined that she would be so "ecstatic" to accept everything.
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