40
In truth, if one were to calculate carefully, Princess Fengzhao and County Lady Yongle were only a year and a half older than Ming Tan. Moreover, although Ming Tan was already married and wore her hair in the bun of a matron, she still looked like a young maiden. Neither of them had expected her to suddenly assert her seniority as an elder.
Of course, the primary reason was that the late Emperor and Crown Prince Mincong were born of different mothers; similarly, Prince Yi and Emperor Chengkang did not share the same mother. The Empress Dowager herself was merely the late Emperor’s second consort. To insist on blood ties with the Dingbei Prince’s household at their generation would be stretching things beyond all reason. These so-called “aunts” and “maternal aunts” were, in truth, connections fabricated with considerable strain.
Perhaps still stunned, the two women were led away before they could even offer a defense.
After a brief moment of silence, some hastened to flatter Ming Tan, praising her handling of the matter as appropriate, dignified, and befitting the bearing of a princess consort. They even took the opportunity to mention the embarrassing incident caused by Princess Fengzhao at the Duke of Pingguo’s residence last year.
That scandal was well known among all the official families in the capital; merely hinting at it was enough to make many exchange knowing smiles while covering their lips.
Others, without openly disparaging Princess Fengzhao, simply offered sweet compliments, remarking how today’s peony-patterned attire worn by Ming Tan, along with the “Peony Sleeping in Spring” phoenix hairpin adorning her head, complemented each other perfectly and suited her exceedingly well.
As for the Princess of Yongle, she was previously absent from the capital; though few knew her well, not everyone was entirely ignorant of her.
Some claimed that, relying on the Empress Dowager’s favor, the Princess of Yongle had always been arrogant and insolent, looking down on others, and utterly lacking the modesty expected of a young lady.
It was said that she once happened to catch a glimpse of His Highness, the Prince of Dingbei, fell in love with him at first sight, and thus resolutely followed her father northward on his military campaign. She had even disguised herself to infiltrate the camp just to see His Highness, thereby disrupting military discipline. Upon learning that the Emperor and Empress intended to select a consort for the Prince of Dingbei, she reportedly threw a fit—crying, making scenes, and even threatening suicide—to beg Princess Wenhui and Her Majesty the Empress Dowager to scheme on her behalf. Why their efforts ultimately failed, however, remains unknown.
“Could this Princess of Yongle truly be so bold?”
“To see the Princess in disguise, infiltrating the military camp and disrupting discipline—how can a young lady from the inner quarters behave with such impropriety and loss of decorum? It is truly shocking!”
“It is no surprise that someone of such character failed to become the Princess Consort. His Highness, being of the imperial family, understands and upholds propriety; naturally, he would favor a well-educated and refined young lady from a prestigious family like the Princess Consort. How could he possibly look favorably upon such an undignified and frivolous display?”
Ming Tan: “…”
Impropriety, loss of decorum, truly shocking.
I feel somewhat subtly offended.
Feeling guilty from the praise, she quickly cleared her throat twice to change the subject: “The wind is strong outside; everyone should go inside first. Master Yuan Ming is likely about to begin his scripture lecture.”
Ming Tan led the group back toward the hall, instinctively glancing at Zhou Jingwan.
Understanding the hint, Zhou Jingwan made an excuse to change her clothes and, accompanied by her maid, headed in the direction of the Release Life Pond.
–
Today being the Buddha’s Bathing Festival, Daxiangguo Temple was even more bustling than usual. By the Release Life Pond, people tossed copper coins and fish food, offering prayers and wishes, while children followed the movements of the koi fish, laughing joyfully.
Zhou Jingwan found a shady spot and stood quietly, waiting.
Unexpectedly, a child chasing a spinning top ran wildly to where she stood. Lost in play, the child failed to notice someone standing nearby, and the whip lashed out toward her.
Zhou Jingwan had no time to dodge; just as the whip was about to strike, a blade suddenly unsheathed. A flash of white light swiftly severed the threatening lash.
The child froze, staring blankly at the neatly cut end of the whip for a moment, then looked up at the tall man. Suddenly letting out a loud “Waaah!”, the child dropped the top and fled, weeping in terror.
Zhou Jingwan, already frail and timid, was still reeling from shock when the child’s cries startled her anew; instinctively, her lips turned pale as she clutched her chest and stepped back half a pace.
This Commander Lu is truly terrifying.
He resorts to brandishing swords at the slightest disagreement.
No wonder he bears the fearsome reputation of silencing children’s nighttime wails.
Nevertheless, she had to bend her knees and force herself to offer a formal bow: “Thank you, Commander Lu.”
“A trivial matter; Miss Jingwan need not be so courteous.”
Indeed, it was trivial; killing a person or two surely counted for little in his eyes.
At this thought, Zhou Jingwan’s spine stiffened; she dared not raise her eyes to look at Lu Ting any longer. In truth, even from a distance of several paces, she felt the aura of ferocity emanating from the man before her was so overwhelming it left her breathless.
After a long pause, she summoned her courage and asked in a soft voice, “May I ask, Lord Commander Lu, have you ever heard of ‘The Debate Between Zhuang and Hui on the Joy of Fish’?”
Lu Ting glanced at the koi swimming in the release pond and replied with as much refinement as he could muster, “I have heard of it briefly.”
Zhou Jingwan continued, “Zhuang said, ‘See how the minnows dart about at ease; such is the joy of fish.’ Hui replied, ‘You are not a fish; how can you know the joy of fish?'”
Lu Ting’s hearing stopped at this sentence, but Zhou Jingwan had not finished. “Zhuangzi said, ‘You are not I; how do you know that I do not know the happiness of fish?’ Huizi replied, ‘I am not you, so indeed I do not know you; yet you are certainly not a fish either, so your not knowing the happiness of fish is complete.'”
The passage that Zhou Jingwan gently recited afterward became in Lu Ting’s ears merely fragments: “You are not I… the happiness of fish… I am not you… not a fish… the happiness of fish…”
Before Lu Ting could make sense of it, Zhou Jingwan gracefully bowed, lowered her eyes, and suddenly said, “If Jingwan understood fish and knew they were not happy?”
By the release pond, silence settled briefly as willow catkins drifted lightly in the wind.
Zhou Jingwan’s heart pounded with anxiety, her palms growing clammy with sweat. She truly did not know whether stating so plainly her reluctance and displeasure at being forced into marriage would provoke Marshal Lu.
Lu Ting was rendered speechless by her convoluted words, completely failing to grasp what Zhou Jingwan meant. After a moment’s pause, he hesitated before suggesting, “Then… perhaps offer more fish feed?”
Zhou Jingwan’s lips grew even paler, her body swaying unsteadily as if about to collapse.
Did his words imply that piling on more betrothal gifts would make her willing? Yet what did this have to do with betrothal gifts? Even if she, Zhou Jingwan, were indeed such a short-sighted person who sought only wealth and honor, did she deserve to be so casually demeaned by him?
“Though fish are humble and small, they are living beings with their own thoughts. If they are not content, I would rather go without than consume them unjustly.” Zhou Jingwan’s voice was soft and trembling; she kept her head bowed low, tears welling in her eyes. Having spoken, she curtsied deeply and said, “Jingwan must still listen to the Dharma lecture by the master monk and cannot linger longer. This decision is final; I hope Marshal Lu will reconsider.”
“…”
What did she mean by “this decision is final”?
Watching Zhou Jingwan’s hurried retreating figure, Lu Ting suddenly asked the attendant who had followed him, “What did all those words she just said actually mean?”
The attendant replied honestly, “This humble servant does not know. Miss Zhou, truly worthy of her scholarly family heritage, spoke in such a way that not a single sentence made sense to me. However, I have memorized everything she said; perhaps we could return and ask His Highness the Prince or Second Young Master Shu?”
Lu Ting nodded.
The attendant wiped the sweat from his brow, thinking with distress that if his master truly ended up marrying this Miss Zhou, his duties would become exceedingly difficult; he feared he might not even understand half of what she said.
–
Unbeknownst to them, two hours had already passed.
Princess Fengzhao and County Lady Yongle, who had been punished by being forced to kneel, emerged separately from the east and west sides of the small Buddhist hall. Each also learned from their servants about the things the other had discussed after they were taken away.
Meeting by chance outside the Buddhist hall, they naturally exchanged another round of biting sarcasm, neither willing to back down—
“They said you couldn’t distinguish high from low and had no sense of propriety; I never imagined you truly were so unruly as to disguise yourself and sneak into a military camp. Oh, and you even threw a fit, threatening suicide unless you could marry His Highness, the Prince of Dingbei! How utterly ridiculous! If you truly intended to hang yourself, how is it that you stand here perfectly unharmed? You are shameless and devoid of any decency!” The words tumbled from Princess Fengzhao’s lips, thick with gunpowder.
Zhai Nici refused to yield: “The reason I stand here unscathed is naturally due to the Empress Dowager’s blessed protection. As for you, so well-versed in hierarchy and rank, it turns out you once offended both the Princess of Dingbei and Her Majesty the Empress by overstepping your station. Wasn’t it Her Majesty who ordered you to remain at home in penance, forbidding you from stepping outside? Since you understand propriety so well, why today do I not see you composing poems about peonies or plucking peony blossoms?”
“You!”
“Furthermore, even if I did not marry His Highness the Prince of Dingbei, what of it? With the Empress Dowager’s protection, what kind of husband could I not find? You may be reveling in your fleeting triumph and acting arrogantly now, but having married someone like the Marquis of Jiangyang, in the future you won’t even be worthy of holding my slippers!”
Her earlier defeat stemmed from Feng Zhao’s utterly unpredictable nature, striking without warning. But if it came to a battle of words, Zhai Nici would surely have the upper hand.
And indeed, at this moment, Feng Zhao had been struck squarely in her weak spot by Zhai Nici; her eyes widened in shock, yet she found herself unable to utter any rebuttal.
Seeing Feng Zhao in such a state, Zhai Nici’s mind grew even clearer. With a faint, ambiguous smile, she continued to pierce straight to the heart: “Don’t blame me for showing you no respect. After what happened at the Late Spring Poetry Gathering, who in the entire capital is still willing to save your face? Everyone sees you as a joke. Surely you know that yourself?
“Moreover, I am not the one who made you a laughingstock. The person who did so is now basking in glory and even dares to act as your aunt. Let alone the future, when you won’t even be worthy of holding her shoes; right now, you are already unworthy of doing so. And yet you still hope to marry the Marquis of Jiangyang? Tsk.”
“Silence!”
Feng Zhao was so furious that her hands turned white from clenching. Though she knew Zhai Nianci was deliberately provoking her, she couldn’t help but follow the thread of those words:
That lowly woman from the Ming family, who wasn’t even worthy of tying her shoelaces, had now become the Princess of Dingbei, living in utmost comfort, yet still dared to deliberately wear peonies and put on airs right before her eyes.
Meanwhile, she, a commandery princess, had been ruined by that wretch and made into a laughingstock throughout the entire capital. Had it not been for this, her royal father and mother would never have considered sending her far away to Shu to become the second wife of the licentious Marquis of Jiangyang.
This humiliation was something she could never endure; how could she possibly bear it!
Feng Zhao turned to leave, but after only a few steps, she suddenly looked back, fixing Zhai Nianci with a mocking gaze. “So what if I made a fool of myself? The person she stole wasn’t the one I loved. She snatched away the very man you begged for with tears, threats, and even attempts at suicide, yet now she struts about proudly, acting as your aunt by marriage. You still have the audacity to flaunt the Empress Dowager’s name; truly, you’ve shamed Her Majesty herself. Just wait—we’ll see who has the last laugh!”
–
Behind Daxiangguo Temple, following the Buddha Bathing Ceremony, Ming Tan and Bai Minmin had been staying by Zhou Jingwan’s side.
“Did he really say that? Could there be some misunderstanding?” Ming Tan asked, somewhat puzzled, after hearing Zhou Jingwan recount their meeting.
Zhou Jingwan choked back sobs. “What… what misunderstanding could there possibly be?”
Bai Minmin was furious: “I truly misjudged Marshal Lu! To be so frivolous, thinking he can marry Jingwan just by adding some betrothal gifts—who does he think he’s insulting!”
Zhou Jingwan seemed deeply wronged; tears streamed down her face endlessly. Stubbornly, she declared, “If he forces this marriage, I will take my own life.” Hearing this, both Ming Tan and Bai Minmin grew greatly worried. Jingwan was already frail; crying like this, she might faint any moment.
Actually, Ming Tan felt something was amiss, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. For now, she could only comfort her: “Stop crying for now. There must be a way to resolve this. Let’s think it through together.”
Bai Minmin agreed: “Exactly. If worst comes to worst, let A-Tan appeal to His Highness. Once A-Tan asks, what request would His Highness refuse?”
Ming Tan: “…”
The solution she mentioned was not this one.
Her legs are still trembling!

This is the first time I’ve heard my husband praise a woman; he has never even praised A-Tan.
“This king recalls praising you on our wedding night.”
Jiang Xu corrected her with great seriousness.
“Then, besides beauty, is there anything else worth praising?”
Ming Tan asked, unwilling to give up and brazenly pressing on.
Jiang Xu pondered for a long time.
—There was none.
Ming Tan had waited with great anticipation, but after a short while, then another, her composure finally gave way. Was it really so difficult to find a few virtues that it required such prolonged deliberation?!
Fuming, she attempted to climb off Jiang Xu, but he gently pulled her back, repositioning her until she sat facing him, straddling his lap. He let out an almost imperceptible sigh and murmured softly, “My princess excels in every way.”
Unaware himself, his tone carried a hint of helplessness, mingled with an unprecedented tenderness—a compromise meant solely to soothe her.

For the first time, she spoke so loudly; for the first time, she vented such fury upon him. It seemed the Princess Consort held far greater weight in her heart than he had ever imagined.
–
On the other side, at the residence of the Duke of Pingguo, Bai Minmin relentlessly pestered Zhang Huaiyu, demanding an explanation. Yet Zhang Huaiyu, claiming to stay out of court affairs, feigned ignorance no matter how many times she asked.
Seeing Bai Minmin seething with anger, he even dared to complain, “Though I am on good terms with Lu Ting, it is hardly appropriate for me to casually inquire into matters of state. The Duke of Pingguo’s household consists of imperial in-laws; probing into accusations of treason and collusion with the enemy would be most improper. Therefore, your anger toward me serves no purpose. If the Marquis of Jing’an truly did not commit these acts, the Dali Temple will surely restore his innocence.”
Innocence, innocence, innocence! How can they restore his innocence when the evidence has already been seized? Bai Minmin had no desire whatsoever to speak another word to him.
She had returned once to the residence of the Duke of Changguo to question her father, but he too knew nothing, merely insisting repeatedly that Ming Tingyuan could never have done such a thing.
Her father paced back and forth in the room with his hands clasped behind his back, even more anxious than she was. Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and came up with the idea of seeking an audience with the Emperor, but his guest scholar, Mr. Zhou, hastily dissuaded him from doing so.
Colluding with the enemy and betraying the country is a grave crime. If such charges were truly confirmed, the household of the Duke of Changguo, being the maternal family of the late first wife of the Marquis of Jing’an, should be thinking only of how to extricate themselves from implication among the nine degrees of kinship punishment. Why would they rush to entangle themselves in this matter?
Moreover, even if he were to seek an audience with the Emperor, it would prove useless. Whether the Marquis of Jing’an has committed treason still awaits investigation; such matters cannot be settled or dismissed merely by a few words. Furthermore, they still have a son-in-law as capable as Prince Dingbei. Since Prince Dingbei has not yet returned to the capital, nothing is certain yet.
What Mr. Zhou said made perfect sense; Bai Minmin listened and found herself unable to offer any rebuttal.
The Prince Dingbei’s residence is now under strict guard; no one inside can leave, and no one outside can enter. For now, the only course of action is to await the Prince’s response.
–
For three consecutive days, Jiang Xu sent no word from outside, and the Dali Temple prison made no progress either. The only comforting news was that Lu Ting had spoken to the Dali Temple prison authorities to arrange a separate cell for Lady Pei, the pregnant wife of the Marquis of Jing’an.
Over these three days, Ming Tan had not been entirely idle. Although the prince’s residence was surrounded by soldiers and guards, they were not denied food; fresh vegetables were delivered daily as usual, and at night, chamber pots were still carried out of the compound. Ming Tan took advantage of these necessary comings and goings to exchange several letters with Bai Minmin, thereby obtaining some news from outside.
Of course, transmitting these letters was fraught with risk; if discovered, it would only worsen their already precarious situation. Fortunately, Ming Tan had always enjoyed reading miscellaneous books and had previously experimented with methods from ancient texts alongside Bai Minmin: “Write with alum water and let it dry; then pour a decoction of five seeds over it, and black characters will appear.”
The exchanged papers appeared blank at first glance; only through special methods could the writing become visible.
However, on the fourth day of this correspondence, when Ming Tan moistened the paper with the five-seed decoction and patiently waited for the characters to emerge, she encountered unfamiliar handwriting that read: “Prince Dingbei has secretly returned to the capital and is hiding in Bieyu Tower. At the latest within three days, he will mobilize troops for a northern expedition.”
This letter was not written by Bai Minmin.
A thunderous roar erupted in Ming Tan’s mind as a flurry of thoughts flashed through her instantly. If Bai Minmin did not write it, then who did? Were the words within true or false? What purpose did the sender have? How had this person managed to swap the letter, and how did they discover her method of correspondence with Bai Minmin?
Ming Tan remained unsettled by shock and suspicion. In the next moment, she touched the paper and suddenly realized something was wrong.
The paper used for this letter was Xianyun paper, of medium quality, far less precious than the Bowu paper that Bai Minmin typically used.
However, the raw material for this delicate cloud paper originates from Lingzhou. After Lingzhou suffered disaster, the supply of materials became difficult. If prices were raised due to this shortage, there would be even more superior alternatives available; thus, being too high to reach yet too low to accept, no paper mills in the capital have produced this type of paper this year.
If memory serves, since the Prince Dingbei’s household has long supplied delicate cloud paper to its servants, the final batch produced before production ceased in the capital all went to the prince’s residence.
Thinking of this, Ming Tan calmly instructed: “Suxin, Lü’e, quickly investigate everyone in the household who could have possibly accessed this letter today.”
“Yes.”
Su Xin and Lu E, being seasoned maids with years of experience, had no trouble investigating the household servants. It did not take long before they identified the culprit: Old Woman Wang from the miscellaneous labor quarters was brought to the Flower Hall of Qi’an Hall.
Old Woman Wang had graying hair and wore the honest, unassuming face of a servant accustomed to rough work. She had entered the mansion over ten years ago, living like an invisible presence, quietly working in the miscellaneous labor quarters, filling in wherever someone was needed. She had never been assigned any important tasks nor knew how to curry favor; thus, despite her many years in the household, she remained only a third-rank servant.
Today, when Su Xin and Lu E came to investigate, they noticed her suspicious behavior—her evasive glances and nervous demeanor. After just a few pressing questions, her guilt became obvious. Now, dragged before Ming Tan, she confessed everything within mere sentences.
It turned out she had been planted in the prince’s mansion by Empress Dowager Su many years ago as a spy. She had never been exposed before simply because she had never acted on her mission. Accustomed to a quiet, unremarkable life, suddenly being ordered to carry out a task made her extremely nervous. Thus, when investigators approached, she panicked completely. Having now confessed, she knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly and begging for mercy, appearing nothing more than a cowardly figure desperate only to save her own life.
Ming Tan cast a faint, unreadable glance at her, leisurely toying with the teacup lid. After a long pause, she spoke with utmost calm: “Going to such great lengths to expose yourself—have you given up on living? The Empress Dowager truly has a remarkable talent for molding people: forbearance, sacrifice, loyalty. You are quite impressive.”
At these words, Old Woman Wang, who had been kowtowing on the ground, ceased her prostrations. She fell silent for a moment, then suddenly raised her head to look at Ming Tan, her face no longer bearing its earlier timidity: “Your Highness possesses keen insight.”
Upon hearing this, Su Xin and Lü’e hurriedly stepped forward to shield Ming Tan.
Ming Tan, however, waved her hand, signaling them to step back.
Since it was inadvisable for Yun Yi to overhear the interrogation, Ming Tan did not have her wait in the flower hall. To guard against this person’s martial arts skills, she had been brought over with her hands and feet tightly bound, forcibly fed a bowl of muscle-softening powder, while incense that sapped one’s strength burned within the hall; Ming Tan, along with Suxin and Lü’e, had all taken antidotes beforehand.
This visitor came with ill intent; without such thorough preparations, Ming Tan would never have dared to meet her rashly.
“Having lain low and hidden for over a decade without exposure, how could you be an ordinary traitor who sells out her master merely to save her own life? Willingly serving as a third-class menial laborer was simply because every promotion within the princely manor necessitated a thorough investigation into one’s ancestry going back eighteen generations; you could not afford even the slightest slip.” Ming Tan scrutinized her. “And that handwriting of yours is remarkably fine.”
It is often said that one’s handwriting reflects one’s character; judging solely by those characters, she could not possibly be an ordinary servant woman who, after more than ten years of inactivity, merely wished to continue living a peaceful life.
“Speak, what message did Empress Dowager Su entrust you to deliver?”
“All the words this old servant was meant to convey are written in the letter.” Old Woman Wang knelt upright, her reply calm and composed.
“Why should I trust you? Furthermore, even if the Prince returns to the capital, does the Empress Dowager truly believe that merely because he avoids me and refuses to save my father, I would then harbor resentment toward him?”
“Treason and collusion with the enemy—if it were merely a matter of refusing aid, it might be overlooked; but what if it involves framing someone?” Old Woman Wang raised her eyes to look at her.
Ming Tan paused briefly, then quickly masked her reaction, maintaining an air of nonchalance as if nothing had happened.
Old Lady Wang continued, “Does Your Highness truly believe the Prince married you out of affection? Or was he merely obeying an imperial decree? Or perhaps, as you imagine, was it to repay a debt of gratitude?”
Ming Tan suddenly lifted her gaze.
Old Lady Wang smiled. “Your Highness is truly naive. Who is Prince Dingbei? The favor you unintentionally bestowed upon him was mere coincidence; do you really think it warranted the hand of a man who wields power throughout the court, offering you the position of his principal wife? The truth is simply this… you have a father whose military achievements shake the throne, yet who fails to understand the necessity of willingly surrendering his command. Fortunately, punishment does not extend to married daughters. It seems that this ‘gratitude’ of yours will suffice only to ensure the Jing’an Marquis’s household is spared from extermination along with nine generations of kin.”
“Continue.”
“The Empress Dowager has but a few days left to live. It is said that when a person is near death, their words turn kind. The Empress Dowager simply could not bear to see the Princess Consort being manipulated and kept in the dark, only to face the extermination of her clan and the confiscation of her family’s assets at the end, while still expected to show understanding toward her enemies.” Old Woman Wang paused. “Of course, if the Princess Consort believes the Empress Dowager was merely trying to sow discord between you and your husband, that is also understandable. After all, the Empress Dowager, His Majesty, and Prince Dingbei have been lifelong adversaries; naturally, she would wish them no good.”
Ming Tan remained silent.
Old Woman Wang continued, “By now, an imperial edict must already be waiting outside the residence. It likely reads: ‘Upon investigation, it has been confirmed that the Marquis of Jing’an colluded with the Northern He, leaking military secrets. His household is to be immediately confiscated, and he is to be executed. As the Northern He casts covetous eyes upon Yangxi Road and stirs rebellion along the border, Prince Dingbei is hereby appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expedition. Three days from now, he shall lead the troops to campaign against the Northern He.'”
Ming Tan remained silent for a long while before finally ordering, “Take her away and guard her strictly.”
Lü’e bowed respectfully and signaled the sturdy maidservants waiting outside to lead the woman away.
After sitting in silence for some time, Ming Tan instructed Suxin, “By any means necessary, I must know whether an imperial edict has already been issued outside regarding my father’s investigation and punishment.”
Having been married into the prince’s household for quite some time, although she had never deliberately cultivated connections, she was certainly not without methods to gather news from beyond the府 walls.
An hour later, Su Xin returned.
Her face was deathly pale; upon seeing Ming Tan, she said nothing and simply dropped to her knees with a thud.