Volume 1, Chapter 39: Schemes of the Heart

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, even the position of a palace maid is not open to just anyone; they must all be from families of clean standing, making them easy to investigate.

Upon hearing this, Banxia’s face turned deathly pale. She had not fainted even when she struck her head until it bled, but now she nearly collapsed. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she shrieked, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This servant has been loyal to you! Moreover, since ancient times, the Punishment Department has only dealt with those who have committed grave crimes. You... you cannot implicate my family just because you favor the Empress!"

Shen Ran smiled. "Since you are loyal to me, you should be willing to face death without regret, unconditionally obeying my imperial decrees and dedicating everything to me. Do you truly harbor doubts?" He continued, "Do not think of suicide. If you take your own life, I will have no choice but to continue interrogating your family to see what else I can uncover."

Having said this, he appeared somewhat weary and waved his hand. "Enough, take her away. Do not let her remain in my sight."

Banxia looked at Xue Wu in utter despair. "Empress! Your Majesty! It is this servant who has failed you! Whatever punishment you deem fit... I am willing to accept. Please, for the sake of the time I have served you, beg His Majesty to spare my family!"

Before Xue Wu could speak, Zhao Yuanzhuo, who stood behind her, suddenly said in a clear, resonant voice, "You have slandered the Empress so maliciously, yet you still expect her to plead for you? Or is it that you knew Her Majesty is naturally kind-hearted, and that is why you were so reckless?"

Zhao Yuanzhuo’s words were sharper and more unforgiving than ever before. The last trace of color drained from Banxia’s face; her body went limp, and she collapsed to the floor before being swiftly dragged out of the Yikun Palace by the guards.

The hall returned to silence. Shen Ran rested his chin on one hand, leaning against the table. "Mother, will you remain here to wait for the results, or shall you return to the Cining Palace to rest?"

The Empress Dowager’s face was now unsightly to the extreme. She did not say she would leave, nor did she say she would stay; she merely kept her head lowered, sipping her tea. The implication was self-evident.

Liu Ruyi said with a trembling voice, "If Your Majesty acts in such a way, even if the maid changes her testimony, I fear it will only make people believe you obtained the confession through torture."

"The Noble Consort has already sealed off the news; who would think I obtained the confession through torture?" Shen Ran smiled. "The Noble Consort herself?"

Liu Ruyi’s resolve crumbled. "This concubine... this concubine would not dare."

"Do not be afraid. I naturally know you would not dare." Shen Ran cast a sidelong glance at the group of trembling palace maids kneeling on the floor, his gaze landing on the one in the lead. "I remember you are the maid who serves the Noble Consort directly. How do you do your job? Why have you not helped your mistress up? She has been kneeling on the floor for so long in vain. Those who know will say you are negligent; those who don’t might think I am mistreating the Noble Consort."

That maid was Ruhua. She scrambled over in a panic to help Liu Ruyi up, repeatedly begging for mercy: "This servant deserves to die! This servant deserves to die!"

Liu Ruyi sat in her chair, gripping the teacup on the table to mask the turbulent rage deep within her heart.

The atmosphere in the hall remained stagnant. Everyone wore different expressions, restless and uneasy. Only Shen Ran drank his tea with leisurely composure.

About an hour later, Yuanbao returned with his men to report. He stated that Banxia had confessed and committed suicide, claiming that because Xue Wu was naturally frugal and gave too few rewards to the palace staff, she lacked the money to send home for her younger brother’s severe illness. This led to her brother developing a fever that left him mentally disabled, causing her to harbor resentment and devise this scheme to frame Xue Wu.

Banxia had taken all the blame upon herself. Finally, Yuanbao presented her confession to Shen Ran, his voice high-pitched: "Banxia requests that Your Majesty scatter her ashes to satisfy the Empress's anger, asking only that you spare her family."

Shen Ran lazily raised his eyes and glanced at it casually. The confession was not written in ink, but in blood; it was stained and appeared shocking. This should have been a heart-wrenching scene, yet Shen Ran’s expression remained cold as frost, a faint mockery hidden in the depths of his eyes.

He smiled slightly and signaled for Yuanbao to show the confession to the Empress Dowager and Liu Ruyi.

Yuanbao presented the blood-stained confession to them. Liu Ruyi sat in her chair with a wooden expression, saying nothing. The Empress Dowager’s teacup clattered to the floor; she was utterly stunned by Shen Ran’s maneuvers.

Shen Ran’s lips curled slightly into an ambiguous smile. He said slowly, "In that case, are the Empress Dowager and the Noble Consort satisfied?"

The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, her well-maintained hands trembling uncontrollably; she was clearly furious. Shen Ran’s actions had made it perfectly clear to her: neither witnesses nor physical evidence mattered. He had absolutely no suspicion of Xue Wu, and he would never allow anyone else to suspect her either. To continue harping on this would only damage their bond as mother and son and undermine her dignity as the Empress Dowager, achieving nothing else.

After a long while, the Empress Dowager regained her composure. She did not look at Xue Wu or Liu Ruyi, but said, "Emperor, I have something I wish to discuss with you alone."

Shen Ran laughed. He knew it. His mother, though not highly educated, had always been one to understand the times. Any matter that might harm her own interests, even without him saying much, she would think twice about.

In the pin-drop silence, the young emperor’s demeanor was as gentle as a spring breeze. He replied, "Very well."

...

Palace servants swept away the broken porcelain shards, and peace returned to the Yikun Palace. Xue Wu sat in her chair with a grim expression for a long while before whispering, "Yuanzhuo, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor have just left, and it is not convenient to summon an imperial physician right now. Roll up your pant leg; let me look at your injury."

She had learned some methods for treating bruises and injuries back home, so simple external wounds were no match for her.

However, Zhao Yuanzhuo shook his head. "It is just a superficial wound, Your Majesty, please do not fret. I shall apply medicine myself later."

Xue Wu was startled. Knowing he was trying to avoid suspicion, she did not force the issue, only letting out a long sigh. "Yuanzhuo, endure it a little longer. Just a little longer, and I will find an opportunity to beg the Emperor to let you leave the palace, or even if you just go to follow my brother, let him teach you martial arts."

Zhao Yuanzhuo lowered his head. "But I do not wish to leave the palace. I only want to remain in the palace as a guard."

"That is foolish talk."

"Although being an imperial guard is a way out, this palace is truly..." It was truly stifling. One person slaps you, another lashes you with a whip; not only can you not fight back, but you must greet them with a smile. She was, at least, the Empress, and Shen Ran was no longer as cold toward her as before. But Zhao Yuanzhuo was different. Shen Ran had sent Zhao Yuanzhuo to her side perhaps hoping that at a critical moment, he could act as a shield.

For a young man like him, this was truly too cruel. He was originally meant to be cherished in the palms of others’ hands, to be able to "ride the horse with the spring breeze and see all the flowers in Chang'an." But now, everything had come to nothing.

Xue Wu sighed softly. "Yuanzhuo, I know you are worried about me. But..." A hint of warmth flashed in her eyes. "You have seen it too; the Emperor always protects me now."

After a moment of silence, Zhao Yuanzhuo whispered, "I am naturally happy for you that you have come through your hardships, Empress. But after this incident, I am truly worried. This shows that whether in the outer court or the inner palace, and even around you, there are many people from the Liu family."

"Although Banxia slandered you, she is not worth mourning, but the Emperor’s ruthless methods in forcing her confession, while it cleared your name for now, involve the nine familial exterminations far too easily. Such behavior is hard to justify and easily stirs public anger. I dare to ask: if court officials offer advice or act in a way that displeases the Emperor, will the Emperor dismiss or execute them all? I fear the common people will not know that the ministers are incompetent, but will only fear the Emperor’s tyranny."