A Precious Pearl in the Imperial City

"Take them away and hand them over to the Palace Administration for punishment." Prince Chen didn’t even bother to look at the faces of the two eunuchs before issuing his command.

"Your Highness, Prince Chen, spare us! We’ll never dare again!" The two eunuchs, who had been hiding in the shadows, quickly kowtowed and begged for mercy.

"Your Highness, we only spoke out of indignation over this matter—just a few careless words."

"And Lady Zheng offended Her Majesty the Empress—we’ve always felt wronged on the Empress’s behalf!"

"Yes, yes! We were simply angered by the crimes committed by the disgraced Lady Zheng and the Zheng Family. Please, Your Highness, forgive us!"

"When Lady Zheng was still Consort Ning, we never heard a word of discontent from you. And when the Fourth Prince was still Prince Qi, you didn’t dare whisper behind his back either. Don’t put on this hypocritical act of kicking someone when they’re down in front of me, and don’t you dare drag Her Majesty into this. Lady Zheng and the Zheng Family have already been punished. The Fourth Prince is under the discipline of His Majesty and Her Majesty—who do you think you are, daring to mock a prince?" Prince Chen had no patience for their excuses and ordered his attendants to drag them away.

The two eunuchs were gagged and hauled off. Prince Chen covered Jiuzhu’s eyes with his hand. "Don’t look at such filth. It’ll dirty your eyes."

Jiuzhu blinked, her long lashes brushing against his palm.

Prince Chen, tickled, withdrew his hand and looked down at her eyes. "Are your eyelashes made of brushes?"

Jiuzhu took his hand. "Your Highness, let’s go back."

"Are you afraid?"

"Of what?"

"The schemes of people in the palace."

Jiuzhu stopped walking and smiled at Prince Chen, shaking her head. "How are the hearts of people in the palace any different from those outside?"

Prince Chen raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her perspective.

"What happens in the palace also happens outside. The only difference is that the people here hold higher status." Jiuzhu grinned. "In the end, we’re all just mortals in this world of dust."

"That’s an interesting way to put it. So you’re saying everyone in the world is the same?"

"Well, not exactly." Jiuzhu muttered under her breath, "Some people in the capital have dirtier hearts."

"First, you say we’re all mortals, and now you claim certain people in the capital are worse. Little Pig Jiuzhu, I never knew you were such a regionalist." Prince Chen wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "The entire realm belongs to His Majesty. As a member of the imperial family, you should uphold impartial views, understand?"

"But some of them speak ill of you, Your Highness." Jiuzhu pouted. "Outside the capital, no one says anything bad about you."

Prince Chen chuckled softly, pressing his forehead against hers. "Little Pig Jiuzhu, if I’m doomed to fall into your hands in this lifetime, I accept it."

For him, she would hold a grudge against an entire city.

The wind swept through the empty palace corridors, leaving everything in silence.

A patrol of golden-armored guards passed by and noticed something amiss in the darkness. Drawing their swords, they called out, "Who’s there?!"

"It’s me." Yun Yanze stepped out of the shadows, clad in a dark outer robe. Had the guards not been vigilant, no one would have noticed him.

"Your ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‍humble servant greets the Fourth Prince." The guards hastily sheathed their weapons and bowed in apology.

Still, they couldn’t help but wonder—why was the Fourth Prince wandering alone in the dark without attendants or a lantern?

"Continue your patrol. I’m just taking a walk." Yun Yanze glanced toward the end of the corridor before lowering his gaze.

He had heard every word from those two eunuchs. Their deliberate provocation was undoubtedly orchestrated by one of the imperial consorts.

Did they think he would hate Empress Su and retaliate against her because of their words?

He had planned to use these two worthless eunuchs to stir up trouble, to make the Emperor see how even lowly servants dared to insult him now—hoping to evoke pity.

But Prince Chen’s sudden appearance had ruined his plans.

What a shame.

Returning to Zhangliu Palace, he paused at the courtyard gate upon hearing Sun Caiyao retching. His expression remained indifferent as he watched her shadow through the window. After a moment, he entered her chamber and poured her a cup of water. "Caiyao, drink some water. Why are you vomiting so badly?"

Sun Caiyao smiled weakly, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. "It’s nothing. Did I disturb you, Your Highness?"

"No." He placed a soft cushion behind her back. "You haven’t been able to eat properly these past few days. I heard the Fifth Prince has several skilled chefs. I’ll borrow them for you tomorrow."

At the mention of "the Fifth Prince," Sun Caiyao froze momentarily before forcing a smile. "There’s no need to trouble him. I’m not that delicate—I’ll recover in a few days."

"Your Highness, the sour plum soup is ready." Bai Shao entered with a bowl and bowed upon seeing Yun Yanze. "Your Highness."

Sun Caiyao drank the soup but immediately vomited it all back up.

Yun Yanze looked down at his shoes, now speckled with tiny droplets.

After coaxing Sun Caiyao to sleep, he returned to his own quarters, where a eunuch helped him remove his shoes.

"Throw them away."

"Yes." The eunuch took the shoes and left.

Yun Yanze stared coldly at the flickering candlelight, the eunuchs’ words echoing in his mind. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing an arm scarred with several old wounds.

Taking out a dagger, he sliced open his skin. Blood welled up instantly, the pain bringing him clarity.

A kitten’s mew sounded outside the window. He opened it to find a small cat clinging to the sill.

Grabbing the kitten by its scruff, he met its wide, innocent eyes—eyes that reminded him of Jiuzhu.

"Your Highness." Bai Shao stood in the courtyard and curtsied. "This kitten must belong to one of the princesses. This servant will return it immediately."

Yun Yanze slowly released his grip and handed the cat to her through the window.

Bai Shao noticed dried blood on his fingertips but said nothing, bowing as she held the kitten. "This servant takes her leave."

"Bai Shao." Yun Yanze adjusted his sleeves, his voice calm. "The reason I keep you around is because you’re clever."

"Yes." Bai Shao kept her gaze lowered. "This servant is loyal to Her Ladyship and to Your Highness."

"Go."

Only after leaving the courtyard did Bai Shao allow her tense shoulders to relax slightly.

"Thank you, Aunt Bai Shao." A young palace maid took the kitten from her. "If this cat went missing, the princess would surely throw a fit."

"Keep a closer eye on it in the future. The royal consort is with child—if anything happens because of these animals, none of us can bear the consequences." Bai Shao spotted tiny bloodstains on the cat’s ear. Pretending to pet it, she discreetly wiped them away with her handkerchief.

Once the maid had left with the kitten, Bai Shao looked down at the stained handkerchief and sighed.

After returning to Kirin Palace, Jiuzhu and Prince Chen’s first order of business was to bathe and change.

Freshly bathed and dressed in loose sleeping robes, they sat cross-legged on the bed, placing the box left by Consort Dowager Zhao between them.

"Open it." Prince Chen rubbed Jiuzhu’s head when he saw her solemn expression. "Don’t be nervous."

Jiuzhu shook her head. "Your Highness, I’m not nervous. But these items were left specifically by Consort Dowager Zhao—I want to treat them with reverence."

Lifting the lid, they found the first layer filled with several pairs of exquisitely crafted jade bracelets.

"There is a folk custom where elders pass down cherished belongings as heirlooms to their younger generations. Consort Dowager Zhao treated you as her own descendant," Prince Chen said, visibly moved as he looked at the pairs of jade bracelets.

Jiuzhu pursed her lips and carefully lifted the divider in the box. The second layer held... an old phoenix hairpin, its design one that had been popular in the palace years ago—hardly something an elderly consort would wear.

Prince Chen frowned at the hairpin. This six-tailed phoenix pin was reserved for imperial consorts of the highest rank. Currently, apart from Empress Su, only Consort Xu and Concubine Min held such positions in the inner palace.

Consort Dowager Zhao had deliberately left this for them—there must be a reason.

A woman who had spent over forty years in the palace knew far too many secrets.

"There’s another layer below," Jiuzhu said as she lifted the divider, revealing a stack of papers.

The papers contained wine-brewing recipes and a letter.

The handwriting on the letter was neat but large, likely written by Consort Dowager Zhao herself.

Jiuzhu knew that Consort Dowager Zhao had not received much education in her youth and only began studying and practicing calligraphy after entering the palace. In her later years, her eyesight had weakened, causing her to write larger characters for clarity.

The letter appeared ordinary at first glance—filled with well-wishes for Jiuzhu and Prince Chen, gratitude for Emperor Longfeng and Empress Su’s kindness, and so on.

But one line stood out:

"The cuckoo lingers, yet all must return in time."

The cuckoo lingers...

This seemingly poetic phrase felt jarringly out of place compared to the straightforward tone of the rest of the letter.

"Your Highness, is there something wrong with this line?" Jiuzhu noticed a small ink blot beneath the character for "linger," unsure if Consort Dowager Zhao had accidentally dripped it there.

"Very wrong," Prince Chen sighed, tucking the letter away.

Black ink on white paper was too obvious for secrets. Given Consort Dowager Zhao’s cautious nature—not wanting to implicate the other consorts in her palace yet still needing to warn them—she would have chosen an indirect method.

"Do you remember when we painted in the peach grove, and Consort Dowager Zhao mentioned that Du Qingke once painted peach blossoms at a banquet hosted by the late emperor?" Prince Chen said. "After that day, I had someone investigate. That banquet took place twenty-seven years ago."

Jiuzhu rested her chin on her hand. "Mm-hmm, and then?"

"After that banquet, Empress Dowager arranged for Consort Xu to become Father’s consort."

"Eh?" Jiuzhu blinked in confusion. "What does Consort Xu have to do with this?"

"Never mind." Prince Chen closed the box, then touched Jiuzhu’s hair to confirm it was dry before pulling her under the covers.

"How can you just drop it?" Jiuzhu nudged him. "Your Highness, keep going!"

"Peach blossoms have always symbolized romance. The old consort was hinting that Consort Xu and Du Qingke had a past," Prince Chen said, not keeping her in suspense. "Now sleep. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone look into it, and we’ll know the truth."

"Who will investigate?"

Jiuzhu doubted anyone in Kirin Palace was up to the task.

"Commander Wang and the Imperial Dragon Guards, of course," Prince Chen yawned. "Father’s men—might as well use them."

"That’s true," Jiuzhu nodded. "The Imperial Dragon Guards are reliable."

As the commander of the Imperial Dragon Guards, Commander Wang felt deeply conflicted when Prince Chen ordered him to investigate Consort Xu and Du Qingke’s past.

Should a son really be digging into his father’s consort’s old affairs with another man?

What made it worse was that Liu Zhongbao, the chief eunuch of Taiyang Palace, had accompanied Prince Chen. Did that mean Emperor Longfeng had no objections?

Looking at Prince Chen’s unbothered expression, Commander Wang wondered which of them had lost their mind.

"Commander Wang?" Prince Chen raised a brow at his silence. "Is there a problem?"

"Your Highness need not worry. This subordinate will investigate swiftly," Commander Wang bowed. "Please grant me a few days."

"Take your time. I’m in no hurry." Prince Chen turned just as a guard rushed in, excitement on his face.

"Commander! A letter from Lingzhou! After days of searching, the men have finally found the girl whom Empress Su and Prince Chen saved years ago!"

Prince Chen froze. "What did you say?"

The guard faltered at his sharp tone. "The person Her Majesty and Your Highness sought... has been found."

Prince Chen glanced at Liu Zhongbao. "Did Father and Mother not tell them to stop looking?"

Even Liu Zhongbao, known for his unflappable smile, looked surprised. He turned to the guard. "Are you certain?"

The guard nodded. "The girl is a local of Lingzhou. Her brother is a scholar. Since His Majesty has opened the imperial exams to recruit talents, the brother is heading to the capital. Our men are escorting both siblings. They should arrive in five days."

"Oh?" Prince Chen’s smile was icy. "Then I shall see what this woman looks like."

Who in the world dares impersonate my Jiuzhu?

The guard shrank back. Prince Chen didn’t sound the least bit pleased.

"Commander Wang." Prince Chen clapped him on the shoulder. "Come with me to see Father."

If word got out that the Imperial Dragon Guards had been fooled by an imposter, their reputation would be ruined.

"Indeed, Commander Wang," Liu Zhongbao said cheerfully. "Best to prepare early."

---

Bright Moon Palace

Empress Su and Emperor Longfeng dismissed all attendants after hearing Commander Wang’s report.

Sweating under Their Majesties’ gazes, Commander Wang cursed his men’s incompetence.

Thankfully, the real girl had already been found. What if she hadn’t? Would they have let an imposter take her place?

He didn’t dare dwell on it.

"This is an old matter. Apart from those who served the Empress and my son, few knew the details. If your men were misled, it’s somewhat understandable," Emperor Longfeng said slowly. "But as Imperial Dragon Guards, such a grave mistake cannot go unpunished."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Commander Wang bowed in gratitude. At least the Emperor was giving them a chance to redeem themselves.

From now on, he would ensure his men acted with greater caution. This blunder had nearly tarnished years of the Imperial Dragon Guards’ merits.

"As for the imposter..." Emperor Longfeng glanced at Empress Su and Prince Chen.

"Keep her under strict watch once she arrives," Prince Chen said, rolling up his sleeves as if ready to throw a punch. "I’ll bring Jiuzhu to see the faces of these siblings myself."

"To seek wealth and glory by impersonating another—such a person must be utterly devoid of moral character." Emperor Longfeng tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. "As for her brother, he must never pass the imperial examinations. If men like him were to become officials, it would only bring suffering to the people under their rule."