"Exactly. We've kept our hands out of court politics all this time out of fear of offending His Majesty. But now that someone has dared to lay a hand on the Noble Consort's people, the Emperor won't show mercy. No matter who's behind this, once we expose them, their days are numbered."
"This plan is excellent. We can frame all those who oppose the Commandery Prince as the culprits and have the Emperor eliminate them one by one. We'll be able to purge the disloyal in complete secrecy."
The crowd murmured in agreement—everyone sensed this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
With high spirits, the Commandery Prince made his way to the palace, intending to request the Emperor to let him take charge of the Wei Quan case.
Upon arrival, he heard that the Emperor hadn't left the Hanxiang Hall all day. As a mere prince, he couldn't just barge into the inner palace like the Noble Consort could, so he decided to stop by and pay his respects to the Empress Dowager first.
"My dear grandson, you've finally decided to visit this poor old woman," the Empress Dowager said tearfully, grabbing his hand with one and dabbing at her eyes with the other.
The prince immediately turned on the charm, acting like a spoiled child. "Don't cry, Grandmother! I'm here now, aren't I? If you keep crying, I'll be heartbroken."
She gave him a mock glare. "You heartless little scoundrel. You haven't come to see me in days."
The Commandery Prince sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I've just been so busy lately. But I think about you every day, really."
The Empress Dowager scoffed. "Busy? Busy with what? Chasing skirts, I presume. You've been gallivanting around doing who-knows-what."
He nodded with exaggerated sincerity. "You're right, Grandmother. I've been too playful. That's why I'm here today—to ask for a proper responsibility."
"Oh?" Her interest piqued immediately. Her grandson was about to come of age—it was indeed time he learned how to handle serious affairs and prepare for the future.
"I heard about Wei Quan's death," he continued. "I want to request permission to lead the investigation."
The Empress Dowager had heard the news early that morning—she'd been so pleased she had an extra bowl of congee with breakfast. But hearing her grandson bring it up dampened her mood slightly.
"Why are you getting involved with the Noble Consort's business? There are plenty of people eager to flatter her."
The Commandery Prince clung to her arm and explained carefully, "Grandmother, it's my first time taking on a task, and I'm terrified of messing up. But this case… well, all I need to do is drag out a few more suspects, kill a few more people—really make the Noble Consort feel avenged. Even if I don't do a perfect job, she'll appreciate the gesture and put in a good word with the Emperor. If she's happy, and the Emperor's happy, then I've won my first battle."
The Empress Dowager fingered her prayer beads, deep in thought. She despised the Noble Consort, yes, but there was no denying the woman held sway over the Emperor. If she could help her grandson win favor through her... perhaps a step closer to becoming Crown Prince?
After a moment, she smiled and took his hand. "Very well. If we're selling her a favor, we may as well make it a grand one. Come—I'll go with you to see her, give you a little extra prestige."
So the Empress Dowager and the Commandery Prince arrived together at the Consort's palace. The Noble Consort had only just been revived by acupuncture and was still groggy, trying to piece together the events of the day.
She was just about to burst into tears when she heard someone call out:
"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has arrived!"
Of all her enemies in the harem, the one the Noble Consort feared most wasn't any of the other consorts—it was the Empress Dowager. The old witch had always detested her, and never missed a chance to curse her behind her back. The Consort had long avoided meeting her face-to-face.
Why was she here now? To kick her while she was down? To gloat?
Clenching her teeth, the Consort rose with great effort and knelt. "This concubine greets Your Majesty."
To her surprise, the Empress Dowager's cloudy eyes were full of mirth—she almost looked like she wanted to summon an opera troupe and celebrate for three days straight. But the Commandery Prince tugged gently on her sleeve, reminding her of their real goal.
The Empress Dowager softened her expression and cooed, "Rise, rise! Help your mistress up."
"I heard from the Commandery Prince about poor Wei Quan. Such a sweet, well-behaved child—what a tragedy. I couldn't sleep last night just thinking about it. So I came to see how you were doing."
The Noble Consort was caught off guard. This... this wasn't the Empress Dowager she knew. Had all that praying and vegetarian food really worked? Had the old hag actually turned over a new leaf?
Still, she played along, allowing her sorrow to bubble to the surface. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. My heart feels like it's been stabbed a thousand times. Just yesterday, Quan'er came to greet me… and now, now… sob sob sob…"
"Please, don't be too sad," said the Commandery Prince, gently seizing his moment.
The Consort, despite her sorrow, had no desire to weep too openly in front of her old rival. She wiped her tears and composed herself quickly.
The Empress Dowager spoke at just the right moment. "Has the culprit been found yet? To commit such treachery under the Emperor's nose—how audacious."
"Not yet. His Majesty has ordered an investigation, but it's still early," the Consort replied.
The Commandery Prince jumped in, his voice full of righteous fury. "That traitor is bold indeed. If I catch them, I'll see them torn limb from limb. That's the only way to avenge such an outrage."
The Consort glanced at him with new interest. She'd been considering contacting the Commandery Prince's faction, and here he was, falling right into her lap. The heavens must be smiling on her.
She gave him a grateful look. "Your Highness is truly loyal. If all court officials were like you, the Emperor would have fewer worries—and tragedies like this would never happen."
The Empress Dowager and the Prince exchanged a knowing look—hook, line, and sinker.
The Empress Dowager struck while the iron was hot. "It seems to me that outsiders can't be trusted with this matter. Why not let the Commandery Prince handle the investigation himself? You've wept long enough here in your palace. Go with him and plead your case to the Emperor. Let's get justice for poor Wei Quan."
It was exactly the outcome both sides wanted. They joined forces and headed to Hanxiang Hall to meet the Emperor.
The Emperor, still groggy from sleep, was on the verge of exploding at yet another disturbance—until Xiao Dezi whispered, "Your Majesty… the Empress Dowager is here. With the Noble Consort and the Commandery Prince. They're drinking tea in the reception hall."
Suppressing his anger, the Emperor got up, dressed, and went to meet them.
After the customary greetings, the Emperor and Empress Dowager sat at the head of the hall. The Noble Consort and the Commandery Prince sat to the west, near the Empress Dowager, while Meng Wenyao sat to the east, close to the Emperor.
"My dear mother," the Emperor asked with a tired but respectful voice, "you could have summoned me. Why come all this way yourself?"
The Empress Dowager smiled, unconcerned by his weariness. "I heard about the tragedy involving the Noble Consort's nephew. Such a brazen act within the palace walls is cause for alarm. I only came to ask how you plan to deal with it."