Chapter 129: Father-Son Suspicion

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As Chu Jinyao left Kunning Palace, she walked without speaking or smiling, heading straight for Ciqing Palace. Linglong and the others also lost their mood for any light conversation. It wasn’t until they entered Ciqing Palace that Linglong dared to voice her question: “Crown Princess, regarding the Empress’s death… how do you think His Majesty will handle it?”

 

Who could say? The emperor claimed he would make his own decision, but even the wisest judge cannot resolve his own household affairs, precisely because emotions cloud judgment—and the emperor was far from being a clear-minded person.

 

Linglong and Dingxiang also realized that the situation was turning increasingly unfavorable for them. Dingxiang couldn’t help but say, “The Crown Princess already laid out all the evidence. That maid, Qiushuang, her story is full of inconsistencies, so why won’t the emperor believe the Crown Princess?”

 

“It’s not that he doesn’t believe me; it’s that he doesn’t trust power,” Chu Jinyao said as she walked into the hall. She looked up, suddenly stunned. “Your Highness, you’re back already?”

 

Qin Yi was in the eastern side room, reading. Hearing the movement, he put the book down and walked out. It was a reversal of their usual routine—Chu Jinyao had greeted him at the door countless times, but it was rare for Qin Yi to return first.

 

Seeing the Crown Prince, Linglong and the other maids quickly helped Chu Jinyao take off her heavy outer garments and then quietly retreated. Chu Jinyao followed Qin Yi to the eastern side room, and Qin Yi asked, “I heard from Xiao Linzi that you went to Kunning Palace. How did it go?”

 

Chu Jinyao shook her head, and Qin Yi wasn’t surprised at all by the outcome. He gave a casual smile, comforting her: “Don’t take it to heart. You’ve done what you could.”

 

Chu Jinyao knew the reasoning behind “doing your best and leaving the rest to fate.” But that was the thing with great principles—everyone could talk about them, but few could actually live by them.

 

Looking into his calm, emotionless eyes, Chu Jinyao couldn’t help feeling a bit unsettled. No one was born with a heart of steel. Qin Yi becoming this cold and indifferent was likely thanks to the emperor’s influence.

 

Her tone softened as she asked, “Your Highness, since you’re back, why didn’t you go to Kunning Palace to see for yourself?”

 

“If I went, it would only make things worse,” Qin Yi said calmly. From the moment he had refused the Wara peace offer, or perhaps even earlier, when he began governing in the emperor’s absence, he had anticipated this day.

 

Throughout history, kings had always been fickle, and the imperial family the most ruthless. No crown prince could escape suspicion from the throne, and he was no exception. There were many flaws in the plot orchestrated by Noble Consort Shu, but as Chu Jinyao had said, a person sees only what they want to see. Even if she and Qin Yi laid everything out before the emperor, he would turn a blind eye.

 

By now, the real issue wasn’t the Empress’s death; it was whether the emperor chose to believe in Qin Yi or Prince Su.

 

Qin Yi didn’t care much; he was more concerned about Chu Jinyao’s pregnancy. He looked at her growing belly with great care. “Your belly is getting bigger. Even though it’s relatively stable from four to eight months, you still shouldn’t overexert yourself. Let them do as they will; you focus on resting and taking care of our child.”

 

Chu Jinyao also found it exhausting, and she felt some regret. The plan to release the palace maids would have to be postponed. She was just about to say something when her expression suddenly shifted, and she exclaimed in delight, “Quick, come here! He moved again!”

 

Qin Yi’s expression lit up. Ever since the New Year, the baby’s movements had become more frequent. Although Chu Jinyao had already told Qin Yi about the baby kicking, he had been too busy with state affairs to witness it firsthand. Now that everything had settled, he finally had the chance to feel the baby move.

 

The first time Qin Yi felt the baby kick, he found it truly astonishing. Now, as he placed his hand on Chu Jinyao’s belly once more, he still found it incredible. Inside her, a child, a blend of their bloodlines, was growing. In just three months, their baby would be born.

 

It seemed as though the child, sensing its parents’ low spirits, was making extra efforts to assert its presence. Chu Jinyao laughed softly. “You can feel it, right? He’s probably upset with us for neglecting him. When you’re born, it’ll be spring in the capital, and I’ll take you to see the peach blossoms. You’ll love it.”

 

Qin Yi’s expression softened unknowingly. Yes, when spring arrives, their most precious gift would also arrive.

 

***

 

In Qianqing Palace, the emperor, sitting in his gilded, ornate hall, felt for the first time how empty his imperial bedchamber was.

 

Though only a few months had passed, the emperor deeply felt the weight of his age.

 

This feeling became more pronounced when he saw the six ministers from the various departments come to report. Today’s ministers had all been promoted during the time of Qin Yi’s regency, so the entire court had been reshuffled. The emperor was shocked to find that he no longer recognized a single familiar face.

 

Had he thought it through, he might have realized that those familiar faces were missing because they had died during the disaster at Xuanfu.

 

But the emperor didn’t dwell on it. He merely lamented without much reflection. He summoned the Minister of Rites and voiced his thoughts: “The Empress accompanied me for fifteen years and gave me a son and daughter. She was younger than me, yet she left this world before her time. I couldn’t make it back in time to see her one last time, so I must make it up to her in the afterlife. The Empress’s funeral must be grand.”

 

The Minister of Rites exchanged a look with his assistant, the Deputy Minister, both showing expressions of discomfort. The Minister stepped forward and respectfully asked, “Your Majesty, what kind of scale do you have in mind for this grand funeral?”

 

The emperor found the question puzzling. “At the very least, it should match what we did for Wenxiao. They were sisters, after all, and both empresses. There should be no difference in their funerals.”

 

The Minister of Rites grew even more troubled. Setting aside whether it was appropriate for a successor empress like Xiao Qi to have a funeral on par with the original Empress Wenxiao, the state of the nation was different now from what it had been in the eighth year of Jianxing.

 

In the eighth year of Jianxing, the country was at peace and the treasury was full, so a lavish funeral for Empress Wenxiao made perfect sense. But now? Empress Xiao Qi had offended many ministers and was indirectly responsible for the deaths of countless officials. The capital itself had barely survived. Now, with everything in disrepair and the capital still recovering, should they really drain the treasury for a grand funeral for Empress Xiao Qi?

 

It wasn’t just a matter of the cabinet and the Ministry of Revenue agreeing—it was questionable whether even the Minister of Rites himself, as the official in charge of national rituals, would want to go through with such an extravagant display.

 

The Minister remained silent, making his stance clear. The emperor, seeing this, was both shocked and angry. He was the emperor, after all, and now he couldn’t even grant his deceased wife—a woman who had died under mysterious circumstances—a decent funeral?

 

His face darkened.

 

Luckily, before the situation could escalate, the eunuchs announced the arrival of Prince Su. The Minister of Rites took the opportunity to withdraw. As he exited, he crossed paths with Prince Su and respectfully greeted him: “Your Highness.”

 

“No need for formalities,” Prince Su replied.

 

This wasn’t the place for small talk, with the emperor inside. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they parted ways. As they passed, the Minister of Rites noticed a slender scholar in a blue robe. The man looked no different from any other young scholar arriving in the capital for the imperial examinations, but to be in such a place meant he was no ordinary scholar.

 

The Minister of Rites didn’t give the man much thought. At this point, he still considered the blue-robed scholar as just another trusted aide of the emperor. After all, emperors have their preferences and close confidants, don’t they?

 

Prince Su and Fang Pucun entered the inner hall, where they bowed before the emperor. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

 

The emperor, seeing a familiar face at last, warmly addressed Fang Pucun: “Are you settling well in the capital?”

The Emperor had returned from the Wara (Xuanfu Mongols), and naturally, he had brought back the great hero, Fang Pucun, who had helped negotiate his release. The Emperor vividly remembered that difficult period when the Wara envoy deliberately delayed the negotiations, and their attitude grew increasingly hostile. It was Fang Pucun who skillfully navigated the tense situation and ultimately secured the Emperor’s return. Now seeing Fang Pucun, the Emperor felt a deep sense of gratitude.

“Your Majesty, I have been well, thank you,” Fang Pucun replied.

The Prince Su, concerned, asked, “Father, you caught cold in Wara. Have you had the imperial physicians examine you since your return?”

Of course, the Emperor had already called for a physician. Though his health was not in serious danger, the stress and fear he endured over the winter, coupled with the harsh climate of the frontier, had taken a toll on his body, leaving him somewhat weakened. He had been drinking medicinal tonics daily. Hearing the Prince Su’s concern, the Emperor felt a wave of warmth and his expression softened. “The imperial physicians have visited. It’s the usual treatment, nothing more. But you, my son, always remember to ask after my health. You have a good heart.”

The Prince Su had traveled thousands of miles to escort the Emperor back to the capital, and the Emperor now viewed his son in a new light. Qin Yi was the Crown Prince, naturally commanding attention and always shining wherever he went. The Third Prince was the son of the Empress Xiao Qi, and with her support, the Emperor had always shown a little more affection toward his youngest. As for the second son, the Prince Su, he had often been overlooked. Only now did the Emperor realize that his second son was tall, handsome, and, most importantly, deeply filial.

The Prince Su lowered his head modestly. “Father, you overpraise me. I am without great talent or ambition and wish only to live out my days peacefully. As your son, it is my duty to care for your health and show filial respect. I merely worry about you, Father, and perform some small, insignificant tasks. How can I compare my devotion to that of my elder brother, who carries the burden of the state?”

The Emperor’s face subtly darkened. He remembered that since his return, Qin Yi had not come to personally pay respects. The last time, he had come with a large group of ministers, offering only some perfunctory remarks before returning to handle state affairs in the Wenhua Hall. Moreover, the Emperor slowly realized that Qin Yi refused to address the Empress Xiao Qi as “mother,” and, in fact, never called him “father” either. Whether in public or private, Qin Yi always referred to him as “Your Majesty.”

The Prince Su appeared not to notice the Emperor’s change in expression and continued to stand there humbly. Fang Pucun, glancing at the Emperor, said, “Your Majesty, with your health being less than ideal, now is the time when you most need the care of your children. However, with the Crown Prince busy with state affairs, he may not have much time to spare.”

The Prince Su immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply. “Father, I am willing to stay by your side and relieve your burdens.”

The Emperor thought for a moment and then said, “But you already have a family of your own. Leaving Princess Consort Su alone in Qingyang for too long is not appropriate. Let’s do this: when the weather warms up in a few days, have Princess Consort Su come to the capital as well.”

Prince Su was overjoyed and bowed again. “Thank you, Father.”

The Emperor resumed speaking with Fang Pucun, while Prince Su, after waiting for a while, took the opportunity to excuse himself. Before leaving, Fang Pucun and the Prince Su exchanged a quick glance, then looked away as if nothing had happened.

Grown princes were not allowed to stay in the capital permanently. While the Prince Su, being a man, could move freely between his fiefdom and the capital, having the Princess Consort Su move to the capital indicated something different altogether.

Having his wife with him suggested, at the very least, that the Emperor intended for Prince Su to stay in the capital for a significant period. In other words, he wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.

Father-son suspicion had now reached a point where it no longer needed to be concealed.