WK Chapter 81

At the academy.

 

“Xiao Qi is sick today.”

 

When Zhiyi arrived at the academy, she saw the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes looking behind her, “Stop looking, he’s not here no matter how much you look.”

 

Today even Da Hei hadn’t come, staying at home with the two-legged cub it raised.

 

The Fifth Prince became anxious: “Is it serious?”

 

Zhiyi greeted Miss Yuan who sat in the companion student’s position, took out her books, and thought for a moment: “Compared to usual, this is just a tiny, tiny problem.”

 

Their Shunning Palace had super rich experience. Zhiyi felt she had almost mastered it herself, watching the imperial physicians brew medicine for years; she could recite some basic prescriptions.

 

The Fifth Prince felt slightly relieved, but guilt rose in his heart.

 

If not for Xiao Qi coming to find him last night, giving him his cloak and umbrella, he wouldn’t have fallen ill.

 

He quickly arranged the brush, ink, paper, and books for the Sixth Prince before returning to his own seat. Unlike his usual silent manner of doing things, he had a somewhat ingratiating smile.

 

Zhiyi saw this and sighed softly.

 

After class, the Fifth Prince still followed closely behind the Sixth Prince.

 

The Sixth Prince turned around, somewhat impatient: “What exactly do you want?”

 

The Fifth Prince hesitated: “Sixth Brother, could I go with you to Xiuxiang Palace? I have something I want to discuss with Noble Consort Lan.”

 

“Oh… I was wondering why you were being so attentive today, so you need a favor from me.” The Sixth Prince patted his shoulder, “Small matter, let’s go.”

 

The Fifth Prince breathed a sigh of relief.

 

Xiuxiang Palace.

 

The Fifth Prince knelt before Noble Consort Lan, “I beg Noble Consort to save my mother!”

 

Noble Consort Lan tried to pull him up, but seeing it was useless, she didn’t insist.

 

She sat on a stool, picked up a cup of tea and skimmed the foam with the lid: “Actually, your mother isn’t of Concubine rank, so by rights you shouldn’t call her ‘mother.’ It’s just that people privately allow it.”

 

Fifth Prince: “Yes.”

 

Noble Consort Lan: “It’s not that I don’t want to help you, but I truly am powerless. The fabric was given by her; I merely passed it on to Ding Chang’an. It has nothing to do with me.”

 

Fifth Prince: “But isn’t your relationship with my mother usually very good?”

 

Noble Consort Lan spoke earnestly: “Precisely because our relationship is good, I must avoid suspicion. You might as well ask your mother why she wanted to harm Ding Chang’an.”

 

These words had already firmly established the guilt.

 

The Fifth Prince suddenly looked up: “My mother is absolutely not the culprit!”

 

Noble Consort Lan: “You weren’t there, so naturally you don’t know the situation at the time.”

 

The Fifth Prince clutched at her robe, “Noble Consort, please just plead for my mother? Don’t let her stay in the inner prison, even confinement in Changchun Palace would be better! I… I will definitely listen to you and the Sixth Prince in the future!”

 

Noble Consort Lan: “You are pitiful indeed. How about this: I won’t hold your mother’s improper thoughts against her. From now on, I will support you. You will be part of my Xiuxiang Palace. What does the Fifth Prince think of that?”

 

The Fifth Prince’s hand loosened.

 

Noble Consort Lan said disinterestedly: “Lianzhu, see the guest out.”

 

The Fifth Prince stood up, dazed and dejected, and followed Lianzhu out.

 

From inside, the conversation between Noble Consort Lan and the Sixth Prince could be faintly heard: “Mother, why don’t you help him? He’s usually quite good to me.”

 

Noble Consort Lan: “Is that so? Then compared to that little eunuch who has been by your side for many years, which one is more important?”

 

The Sixth Prince was conflicted: “I suppose my attendant is more important.” After all, the Fifth Prince couldn’t accompany him at all times.

 

Noble Consort Lan: “In your heart, he doesn’t even compare to a eunuch. A eunuch is a servant. Would you help someone who doesn’t even match up to a servant?”

 

Sixth Prince: “Mother, you shouldn’t say it like that…”

 

Noble Consort Lan: “Alright, alright, be good, go study now.”

 

The Fifth Prince didn’t look back, nor did his expression show any change, but the fingers in his sleeve silently clenched.

 

He returned to Changxin Palace and rummaged through Noble Lady Rong’s jewelry boxes and his own birthday gifts over the years, finding many seemingly valuable jewelry and ornaments, then hurried to the inner prison.

 

The inner prison was close to the outer court, just beyond which was where officials worked in the imperial city.

 

The area around it was spacious, with a squad of guards at the entrance.

 

The Fifth Prince and his personal eunuch pleaded for quite a while, but the guard captain showed no sign of relenting.

 

“Captain Wu?” a puzzled voice sounded, “You haven’t finished your shift yet?”

 

The Fifth Prince, who was still entangled with Captain Wu, turned his head to see a eunuch dressed as a superintendent, with handsome features and an inconspicuous scar at the corner of his eye.

 

Wen Xiaochun bowed: “Fifth Prince.”

 

The Fifth Prince vaguely felt he looked familiar but couldn’t immediately recall where he had seen him before.

 

Captain Wu smiled cordially: “Superintendent Xiaochun, greetings. Is the Inspection and Transport Department not busy?”

 

Wen Xiaochun smiled, glancing at the jewelry and treasures the Fifth Prince had brought to bribe Captain Wu.

 

“One must rest occasionally. What’s happening here with you and the Fifth Prince?”

 

Captain Wu said with difficulty: “The Fifth Prince wants to go in, but we have rules. Without orders from above, one can’t enter the inner prison casually.”

 

Wen Xiaochun: “Captain Wu, sometimes those of us on duty shouldn’t be too rigid. The Fifth Prince is pleading like this, surely it must be for something extremely urgent. Aren’t you about to end your shift? Just pretend you didn’t see anything.”

 

He gently pulled Captain Wu aside and whispered: “After all, he is a prince. Captain Wu, for the sake of your promotion prospects, it’s not good to offend him.”

 

Captain Wu sighed: “Fine, for your sake.”

 

Wen Xiaochun: “We’re our own people. That young man you sent to the Inspection and Transport Department, I’m keeping an eye on him for you. There won’t be any mistakes.”

 

Captain Wu laughed heartily.

 

When he turned back, his demeanor had completely changed. He waved to the guards: “Change of shift!”

 

The Fifth Prince, holding a box of gold, silver, and jewels, hadn’t yet reacted.

 

Wen Xiaochun picked out a gold pendant from the box, a palm-sized pig that was quite heavy. He couldn’t help but smile; this exaggerated yet familiar style was unmistakably the work of a certain someone.

 

The Fifth Prince came to his senses, “This… this was a birthday gift from Seventh Brother.”

 

Wen Xiaochun: “Since it’s a gift from your brother, you should keep it well. Using it as a bribe, isn’t that wasting the Seventh Prince’s sincere feelings?”

 

The Fifth Prince hugged the box tightly, “Thank you.”

 

Wen Xiaochun bowed, “This servant was just passing by. Today, I saw nothing and said nothing.”

 

The Fifth Prince nodded repeatedly: “Don’t worry, I understand.”

 

He quickly entered the main gate of the inner prison.

 

Only then did Wen Xiaochun leave, but after walking for a short while, he suddenly heard a commotion at the entrance of the inner prison.

 

He looked from a distance.

 

From the inner prison, a body covered with white cloth was being carried out.

 

The Fifth Prince, who had just gone in not long ago, emerged with a deathly pale face, stumbling out in panic.

 

He fell to his knees with a thud before the body, tremblingly uncovering the white cloth.

 

Noble Lady Rong’s face was exposed to the air, the impact wound on her forehead glaringly obvious.

 

“Mother-!” The Fifth Prince’s voice was heart-rendingly shrill.

 

The surrounding low murmurs reached the Fifth Prince’s ears, and Wen Xiaochun also caught fragments.

 

“I heard that Noble Lady Rong’s maid confessed and implicated Noble Lady Rong in framing the imperial offspring.”

 

“Yes, and not long after, Noble Lady Rong committed suicide by hitting her head against the wall.”

 

“Framing an imperial offspring is a serious crime. She probably did it to protect her family.”

 

“Who knows…”

 

–

 

Zichen Hall.

 

“This is the maid’s confession.”

 

Head Eunuch Yu presented two documents, “The one below is a copy. Noble Lady Rong wrote a blood letter on the wall, begging His Majesty not to implicate her maternal family and to treat the Fifth Prince well.”

 

Emperor Chongzhao flipped through them.

 

“Do you think it was really all Noble Lady Rong’s doing?”

 

Head Eunuch Yu couldn’t help but protest a little-he was always thinking about how to answer these deadly topics, which was quite exhausting, okay?

 

“Perhaps.”

 

Emperor Chongzhao: “I had the Astrology Bureau check the Eight Characters of the Second Princess and Little Six, and they are not incompatible. Rumors are just rumors. But Noble Consort Lan didn’t know that at the time, and out of love for her son, the possibility that she took action can’t be ruled out.”

 

“Noble Lady Rong may have just been acting under orders.”

 

Head Eunuch Yu cautiously: “Then what do you plan to do?”

 

Emperor Chongzhao: “The court and the rear palace are intricately connected. Noble Consort Lan’s father will still be of use to me in the future.”

 

Head Eunuch Yu understood his implication and lowered his head: “Yes. Although Noble Lady Rong framed an imperial offspring, she has the merit of raising the Fifth Prince. This servant will handle Noble Lady Rong’s funeral affairs properly.”

 

Emperor Chongzhao waved his hand.

 

“This matter ends here, and shall not be mentioned again. As for Little Five… let him move to the princes’ residence early. He’s almost ten years old, and since he’s already leaving the rear palace, I will look after him more in the future. There’s no need to find him another mother.”

 

Head Eunuch Yu: “Yes.”

 

–

 

Changxin Palace.

 

Cai’er, a palace maid who served in the imperial presence, told the Fifth Prince everything Emperor Chongzhao had said in Zichen Hall.

 

Cai’er nervously said: “I happened to go in to change the flowers in the vase outside and overheard the conversation between His Majesty and Head Eunuch Yu. Although I was behind a screen, I’ve had excellent hearing since childhood and heard everything clearly.”

 

The Fifth Prince remained quiet for a long time in the deathly silence.

 

He seemed to have forgotten even to breathe, every inch of his body conveying a sense of numbness.

 

“Whether you believe me or not is up to you. This is a matter that could cost me my head. I only dared to come tell you because I’m about to be transferred away.”

 

The Fifth Prince said hoarsely: “Thank you.”

 

Cai’er shook her head: “Back then, when Noble Lady Rong almost beat me to death, it was you who pleaded for me, allowing me to survive. If I can help you, consider it repaying the life-saving favor from back then.”

 

She had specifically taken over the task from Eunuch Bao to notify the Fifth Prince and prepare Noble Lady Rong’s funeral affairs. Fortunately, Eunuch Bao thought Changxin Palace was too far and this was an inauspicious task, so he was unwilling to come, giving her the opportunity to come here.

 

The Fifth Prince took out the small box of bribes again and gently pushed it forward.

 

“Since you’re being transferred, pick a few items. They’re all valuable.”

 

Cai’er: “No, no, no, I can’t accept them.”

 

The Fifth Prince: “What you’ve returned to me is far more than my casual gesture back then.” He picked out a hairpin that Noble Lady Rong used to wear most often, as well as the small golden pig pendant that Qu Dubian had given him, clutching these two items tightly in his palm.

 

“These two are enough for me.”

 

In the end, Cai’er didn’t take anything from him and hurriedly left after saying goodbye.

 

In the empty hall, the Fifth Prince suddenly began to laugh silently, and as he laughed, tears fell one by one.

 

So, Father Emperor knew Noble Consort Lan was suspicious.

 

His mother’s death was also very likely orchestrated by Noble Consort Lan, with the purpose of clearing herself. His father knew all of this…

 

But just because of that one sentence, “Noble Consort Lan’s father will still be of use to me,” he could gloss over this matter with his mother’s death.

 

The Fifth Prince sat motionless in the hall until dark, until his tears were exhausted.

 

Some things in his heart died instantly, while others began to take root and sprout.

 

The little eunuch outside the door finally couldn’t help but come in, worriedly saying: “Your Highness…”

 

The Fifth Prince stood up, supporting himself on the table, and walked steadily step by step to the door.

 

“I’m fine. There are still my mother’s funeral affairs to handle.”

 

He tucked Noble Lady Rong’s hairpin and the small golden pig pendant into his bosom. Though they were cold to the touch, he felt they were the only things that could warm him.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

–

 

After handling the funeral affairs, the Fifth Prince moved into the princes’ residence and then fell seriously ill.

 

Since learning of Noble Lady Rong’s death, Qu Dubian had been wanting to see the Fifth Prince, but the latter seemed to be avoiding him, not allowing anyone to visit even when he was sick.

 

He saw the Fifth Prince again ten days later at the academy.

 

The Fifth Prince had become much thinner. He still followed the Sixth Prince, like a dedicated little follower.

 

He looked up and smiled gently at Qu Dubian: “Xiao Qi, good morning.”

 

He still looked the same-his features hadn’t changed, nor had his height-but it was as if he had grown up overnight. Looking at him, Qu Dubian even felt a bit unfamiliar.

 

Qu Dubian could only respond as usual: “Good morning, Fifth Brother.”

 

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 (advanced chapters available on kofi)