Chapter 91: The Mastermind Behind It All
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Upon hearing Qin Yi’s question, Chu Jinyao also became serious. She sat up straight, thought for a while, as if hesitating about something, but eventually said, “Is it the Empress?”
Qin Yi was surprised for a moment, then with interest, asked, “Why do you think so?”
“I’m just guessing,” Chu Jinyao replied.
“I figured as much,” Qin Yi said lightly, but he was still curious to hear her reasoning. “Even though they may not truly be able to harm me, setting that aside, Prince Su is older, with a solid reputation in the court, and Prince Lu is the legitimate son, supported by many veteran officials. As for the women in the harem, the Empress, Noble Consort Shu, and Noble Consort Li all have their own motives. So, why do you suspect the Empress?”
“Because back when we were in the western palace, that dancing girl made such a grand entrance, drawing everyone’s attention. With the Empress’s personality, she would never tolerate such a woman. Yet, she personally led us outside to watch the dance. I found that odd at the time, and then, something happened,” Chu Jinyao explained.
Qin Yi raised his eyebrows, clearly taken aback: “Just because of that?”
“Exactly,” Chu Jinyao responded frankly. “Most women are jealous by nature, and the Empress especially can’t stand being upstaged. Why would she willingly let someone else shine? When something’s out of the ordinary, there’s always a reason. Besides, no matter how bold the eunuchs in the western palace are, they wouldn’t dare present a beauty to the Emperor without the Empress’s approval. So, I think the Empress knew exactly what was going to happen and deliberately led everyone outside to witness it.”
It was an unusual perspective, so much so that Qin Yi found himself momentarily speechless. Chu Jinyao saw his reaction and asked, “Did I get it right?”
“Well, it’s still uncertain, but you’re not far off,” Qin Yi replied. “There aren’t many people in both the court and the harem who can pull off something on this scale.” He glanced at her. “But I certainly didn’t think to suspect the Empress just because ‘women are jealous.’”
Qin Yi had pieced things together from a political standpoint, considering recent shifts in power and analyzing the forces behind those who spoke out, which had led him to the Empress. Chu Jinyao’s reasoning, though unconventional, had arrived at the same conclusion.
Chu Jinyao chuckled. “Your Highness, while the inner palace may not have the same political intrigues as the court, where one must read between the lines, it’s still full of people with their own desires. In the world of women, you can deduce quite a bit.”
Qin Yi found himself at a loss for words. It seemed he had underestimated the subtleties of the women’s quarters. Chu Jinyao, though she had relied more on intuition, had still grasped the key point. However, there were still many details she didn’t understand, so she pressed Qin Yi to explain.
He hesitated briefly before giving in. “The Emperor’s banquet in the western palace—of course the Empress would have known about it in advance. As you said, the eunuchs wouldn’t dare act without her approval. So, she decided to turn the situation to her advantage. She had the dancer wear a green dress, staged the fire, and pinned it all on the Eastern Palace. As for the court officials, the younger ones are blinded by Confucian ideals and constantly try to restrain me with their principles. They want to be saints, but what business do they have telling me how to behave? These hotheaded scholars are easily manipulated. Once someone stirs things up, they’ll believe that the Eastern Palace’s misconduct caused a ‘heavenly fire.’ The older, more cunning officials may sense something is wrong, but they won’t speak out hastily. Once the spark is ignited, others will say what they’re too cautious to voice.”
Chu Jinyao frowned as she listened. “Aren’t they afraid of speaking against you?”
“Afraid of what?” Qin Yi smiled. “If they succeed, they’ll be hailed as patriots. If they fail, they’ll be praised for their courage in challenging power. What can I do? Beat them with a stick? That would only increase their reputation as men of integrity.”
The impeachment system of the dynasty was extreme, and Chu Jinyao could only sigh. She had wanted to reassure him with the phrase “the innocent will clear their name,” but something didn’t sit right. “Your Highness, on the day I fell into the water, you mentioned that Consort Lian’s situation was just incidental. Even before the impeachment began, you already knew this was going to happen?”
“Of course,” Qin Yi said casually.
Chu Jinyao stared at him in disbelief. She had been worried for days that Qin Yi would be affected by the impeachment, but it turned out he had anticipated everything, including the loss of his official duties.
“You knew all along. So why…”
“Why didn’t I stop it?” Qin Yi interrupted, smiling. “Jinyao, in my position, the most dangerous thing isn’t open attacks or hidden plots. What’s truly dangerous is if they don’t make a move at all. No plan is flawless. As long as they act, I’ll find an opportunity to counter.”
While the Empress and Prince Lu sought to weaken Qin Yi, he had been watching them as well. When experts clash, a single misstep can lead to failure. The key is to lure them into acting first.
So, he had anticipated everything. Chu Jinyao had worried for nothing. She sighed and said, “You always said I wasn’t a worthy opponent for you, and now I see you were right. I don’t deserve to be called your match. Thank you, Your Highness, for being lenient.”
Qin Yi laughed and flicked her forehead playfully. “That’s not entirely true. You were sharp enough to identify the Empress from a single comment. Quick and accurate. With that kind of intuition, you could join the Eastern Palace as a strategist.”
Chu Jinyao knew he would tease her about her earlier comment that “most women are jealous,” and sure enough, he brought it up repeatedly. Rolling her eyes at him, she asked, “If the fire was the Empress’s doing, then what about Consort Lian? Why did she fall into the water?”
“I’m not sure,” Qin Yi said, unconcerned. “Maybe ask who she offended. Plenty of people in the harem would like to see her lose the baby.”
It made sense. The Empress had orchestrated an elaborate trap, and amid the ensuing chaos, someone had likely taken the opportunity to push Consort Lian into the water. It was an easy move with no real cost. The Empress had bigger plans and wouldn’t have wanted an unnecessary complication. No wonder Qin Yi had been so sure that Consort Lian had just been caught up in the mess. It could have been any of the consorts, but definitely not the Empress.
Having figured out the cause of the fire and Consort Lian’s fall, Chu Jinyao turned to the key issue. “Your Highness, we both saw that day. The dancer was performing normally. So why did her skirt suddenly catch fire?”
Qin Yi sighed. “That’s the question I’ve been pondering as well. It’s not difficult to break through the current situation, but without finding the key to this, I can’t fully defeat them. It’s a shame.”
“You promised to teach me chess today, but it seems you’ve been thinking about the fire the whole time,” Chu Jinyao huffed, playfully glaring at him. “I’m not going to believe a word you say from now on.”
Qin Yi chuckled and pinched her cheek. “You’re being unreasonable.”
Dodging his hand, Chu Jinyao placed another piece on the board and asked, “Your Highness, what do you think the Empress’s ultimate goal is with all this?”
Could she really think that something as flimsy as a heavenly fire would be enough to topple Qin Yi? That seemed far-fetched. Despite his aloof personality, Qin Yi hadn’t committed any major wrongdoings. So what was the Empress aiming for?
Chu Jinyao waited for Qin Yi to respond, but after a while, she still heard nothing. Confused, she looked up and saw him sitting there, looking amused. “Didn’t you say I wasn’t allowed to think about outside matters?”
Chu Jinyao was caught off guard and found herself speechless for a moment. After a pause, she sighed dramatically, “Your Highness, you really hold a grudge, don’t you?”
Qin Yi merely huffed in response. Chu Jinyao, unwilling to let it go, fixed him with a determined gaze. Unable to resist her pleading eyes, Qin Yi finally relented. “Let’s just say, sometimes people ask for more than they truly expect to get.”
Chu Jinyao tilted her head, confused. Qin Yi smiled cryptically, tapped her forehead lightly, and said, “Just wait and see.” Then, he got up and left.
Rubbing her forehead, Chu Jinyao felt like she was onto something but couldn’t quite grasp it.
Because Qin Yi had left her hanging, Chu Jinyao spent the entire day thinking about the issue. In the afternoon, a palace maid came in with a bowl of medicinal paste. Chu Jinyao was puzzled. “What’s this?”
“Your Highness, the palace received a new batch of herbs this year. The Imperial Kitchen has prepared some nourishing medicine for the consorts and delivered some for you to nourish your body.”
Chu Jinyao had the maid place the bowl on the table. She stirred the paste with a spoon. It was thick and emitted a cool herbal fragrance, not unpleasant but with a distinct medicinal undertone. The old eunuch who had brought it over quickly explained, “Your Highness, this is Liangyi Paste, the most famous tonic in the palace. Made from ginseng and other precious herbs, it’s not too strong, unlike pure ginseng, which can cause heat. This tonic nourishes the body gently and gradually, making it perfect for women. If taken daily, it clears toxins and improves complexion. Many of the consorts request it, but the Imperial Kitchen can only make a limited amount each day. Today, being the first batch of the new herbs, we didn’t dare alert too many people. We made sure to bring some for Your Highness first.”
“And the Empress?” Chu Jinyao asked.
“The Empress has two bowls already sent to her.”
“I didn’t know there was such a thing.” Chu Jinyao smiled as she scooped a small spoonful. “It does taste quite good. You’ve done well. Go collect your reward.”
The old eunuch, overjoyed at her approval, bowed deeply and left to collect his reward. As soon as he was gone, Chu Jinyao’s smile faded. Linglong, who had been preparing a washbasin, stepped forward. “Shall I take it away, Your Highness?”
Chu Jinyao waved her off. “No need. No one would dare tamper with something delivered openly like this.” In truth, she had already swallowed a spoonful by accident, so there was no turning back.
Linglong agreed and put the basin down. Chu Jinyao leaned back and sighed. “I wasn’t suspicious at first, but that eunuch’s lengthy explanation, praising the medicine so much, makes it seem a bit too deliberate.”
Linglong’s face tightened with concern. “Your Highness, you only took a small taste. Should we call the physician?”
“There’s no need for that,” Chu Jinyao said with a soft laugh. “I suspect it really is a tonic, or the Empress wouldn’t dare send it openly. The problem lies in how much they want me to consume. They kept hinting that it would benefit my complexion, hoping I’d take it regularly. I only took a little bit just now, so it won’t harm me.”
Linglong still felt uneasy and decided she would summon the palace physician later under the pretext of a routine checkup. Chu Jinyao approved of her caution.
At that moment, Momo Hong entered the room. Upon seeing the bowl of paste, her expression stiffened. Then, glancing at Chu Jinyao’s face, she tentatively asked, “Your Highness, is that Liangyi Paste?”
Seeing no denial, Momo Hong understood. “Your Highness, while Liangyi Paste is indeed a nourishing tonic, it does have some precautions.”
“Oh?”
Momo Hong carefully scooped a bit of the paste and sniffed it. “Indeed, this formula has cooling properties. In spring, taking it to clear heat is appropriate. However, Your Highness has a naturally cold constitution, and you recently fell into the water. If you were to consume this regularly, it could hinder your chances of conceiving.”
Her words shocked everyone. A woman’s ability to bear children was of utmost importance, and if regular consumption of this tonic could affect fertility, the implications were grave. Linglong’s face flushed with anger, and Chu Jinyao, who had been casually stirring the paste, immediately pushed the bowl away.
This was exactly what she had feared—that the Empress or someone else would interfere with her ability to bear children. As the Crown Princess, it would be disastrous for her if she couldn’t conceive a legitimate heir for the Eastern Palace. While there was no concrete proof that the Empress had tampered with this tonic, there were plenty of others in the palace who wouldn’t want her to bear children—whether it was the Empress, Noble Consort Shu, or even factions supporting Prince Su or Prince Lu.
This ploy was subtle, using a beauty tonic to lure her in. After all, what woman didn’t want to enhance her appearance? If she had taken the bait and consumed it regularly, she might have unknowingly ruined her own future. Although Chu Jinyao had never intended to rely on medicine to conceive, this experience reinforced her decision to be even more cautious. Even routine medicinal tonics were now suspect.
“Dispose of it,” Chu Jinyao ordered. “And from now on, if the Imperial Kitchen sends any more Liangyi Paste, accept it quietly but discard it later. Also, make sure all other deliveries are thoroughly inspected. Understood?”
Her maids, Linglong included, nodded solemnly. Chu Jinyao turned to Momo Hong. “You’ve done well today, Momo. What reward would you like?”
Momo Hong quickly bowed, her tone deferential. “I wouldn’t dare request a reward, Your Highness. I’ve served in the palace for many years, and I have some knowledge of the medicines used here. That Your Highness hasn’t dismissed me is already the greatest fortune I could ask for.”
Chu Jinyao smiled faintly. Momo Hong had subtly reminded her of their earlier agreement. Understanding her intent, Chu Jinyao said, “Don’t worry, Momo. In two years’ time, as long as you’re still well, your freedom will be yours.”
This statement, though meant to reassure, carried a veiled threat. While Momo Hong smiled gratefully, inside she felt a shiver of fear. The Crown Princess was far more cunning than she appeared. Not only did she offer promises of reward, but she also made it clear that loyalty was expected in return. Momo Hong left with a renewed sense of awe and respect for her mistress.
After Momo Hong left, Linglong busied herself with tidying up the room. “Good thing we caught this early, or it would’ve been disastrous.”
Chu Jinyao, too, felt a growing sense of urgency. Though she and Qin Yi had been married for nearly five months, there had been no signs of pregnancy yet. While neither of them was particularly old, and Qin Yi had never pressured her, their positions as Crown Prince and Crown Princess made the need for an heir pressing.
It wasn’t just Chu Jinyao who was concerned—others were watching her closely, too. More and more people had begun dropping hints about her lack of children. Some even sent her remedies or suggestions for enhancing fertility. While Chu Jinyao was anxious, she was also resolute in her decision not to rely on medicines or superstitions. She believed that staying active and maintaining her health was far more beneficial than any tonic or supplement.
However, this perspective was somewhat unconventional among the aristocracy, where women were expected to be delicate and pampered. Thinking of her grandmother’s insistence on herbal remedies, Chu Jinyao couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Grandmother always tells me to take medicine to nourish my body. Honestly, I think these are just rich people’s ailments. Back when I was running around the mountains, I never got sick. None of the women in the countryside needed any of these remedies, and they were healthy as ever. When I was five, I even rolled down a hillside because I was playing pranks…”
Chu Jinyao suddenly stopped, her expression changing. Linglong, alarmed by what she had just heard, couldn’t help but ask, “Your Highness, are you alright?”
—
Five days after the impeachment began, the Eastern Palace still remained silent. This infuriated the so-called righteous scholars even more. What had started as a reasonable attempt to hold the Crown Prince accountable had spiraled into something far more extreme. The practice of “righteous remonstrance” had once been a noble tradition, but now it was being used more and more as a way to pressure the court, rather than to genuinely serve the nation.
The situation escalated. On one side was the defiant Crown Prince, and on the other, a group of increasingly outraged officials. Even the Emperor found himself caught in the middle. If Qin Yi were to step forward now and make a humble apology, acknowledging his recent lack of self-restraint and expressing regret, the officials might let the matter drop. The Emperor could smooth things over, and the crisis would pass.
However, the problem was Qin Yi’s refusal to bend. Years ago, he had shot an arrow through a servant in the Emperor’s presence without flinching. If he hadn’t been willing to soften his stance for his own father, there was no way he’d do so for a bunch of pompous scholars. Hoping for Qin Yi to admit fault was as futile as expecting the Emperor to suddenly become diligent.
Grand Secretary Fan, who understood the Crown Prince’s character better than most, could only sigh in frustration. Because of Qin Yi’s action, Fan himself had also come under fire. Some officials even submitted impeachment requests against him, accusing him of failing to guide the Crown Prince properly.
Amid the chaos, someone proposed a bold idea: What if the court followed the precedent set during Emperor Li’s reign? In that era, the Emperor had kept not one but two princes in the capital to ensure the continuity of the imperial line. Perhaps, the court could consider keeping another prince in the capital as a backup, should something happen to the Crown Prince.
This suggestion was clearly an attempt to stir the waters. In a normal situation, it would have been dismissed outright, as it posed a direct threat to the legitimacy of the Crown Prince’s position. But with the current uproar, some officials began to entertain the idea.
The Emperor, realizing the severity of the situation, found himself increasingly troubled. What had started as a minor issue had ballooned into a full-blown crisis. He had lost his usual appetite for entertainment, even neglecting his favorite consorts, instead spending more time in Kunning Palace with the Empress, sharing his frustrations.
This was precisely why the Empress’s influence never waned. While beauty and charm could win a ruler’s favor for a time, it was only by truly understanding his concerns and meeting his deeper needs that a woman could hold power for the long term. The Emperor felt comfortable confiding in the Empress, which gave her a strong hold over both the court and the harem.
Today, as the Emperor vented his frustrations, the Empress listened attentively, her smile genuine. She had every reason to be pleased. The Eastern Palace had fallen into one trap after another, all according to her plan. Things were going so well that she hadn’t even needed to use many of her prepared contingencies.
The Eastern Palace had barely fought back, which she found surprising but attributed to her own cleverness. As the Emperor finished speaking, she sighed sympathetically. “Your Majesty, I had no idea so much had happened in just a few days. The Crown Prince has been a great help to you in managing the empire. Even I have heard of his reputation for wisdom and capability. Why would anyone be dissatisfied with him?”
The Emperor frowned slightly at her words, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Still, he continued, “I don’t understand it either. Something that started out so trivial has somehow blown up into this.”
Lost in his own thoughts, the Emperor didn’t notice the calculating look in the Empress’s eyes, despite the kind smile on her face. She spoke again, her tone gentle but with a hint of urgency. “Your Majesty, you mentioned earlier that someone proposed keeping another prince in the capital, following Emperor Li’s example. What do you think of that idea?”
“Yes, someone did suggest it,” the Emperor replied.
“And what is your opinion?”
The Emperor shook his head firmly, his tone resolute. “Absolutely not. Emperor Li did that because his Crown Prince was young and frail, and there were concerns about his survival. But Qin Yi is already grown, married even. There’s no reason to keep another prince in the capital. Besides, doing so would send the wrong message. People might think I’m dissatisfied with Qin Yi and planning to replace him. But I know my son. He may be proud and difficult at times, but he’s capable. When the time comes for him to take the throne, I have no doubt he’ll manage it well.”
Hearing the Emperor’s firm refusal, the light in the Empress’s eyes dimmed, replaced by bitterness and resentment. However, she quickly masked her disappointment and smiled once more. “Your Majesty’s fatherly love is truly moving, though it’s a pity that the Crown Prince doesn’t seem to understand your good intentions. The palace has been plagued with strange occurrences lately—the mysterious fire, first the Crown Princess falling into the water, and now this wave of impeachments. It feels as though bad luck has taken hold of the Eastern Palace. Perhaps we should invite a priest to the palace to conduct a ritual, to drive away this misfortune and protect both the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.”
