Chapter 126 (2/2): Whispers of Treachery
Fang He hurried to explain, “When the Fifteenth Brother is selected, I plan to choose one from the Tong family.”
“Not for anything else, but the Tong family is Your Majesty’s maternal family. We’ve had some rough patches before; this is a chance to pull them closer. After all, in the future, when we’re gone, they’ll be able to watch each other’s backs.”
Kangxi was momentarily speechless at Fang He’s blunt words.
No one had ever explained political alliance-building through matchmaking so candidly.
But… the child was only two years old.
Even if they promised mutual support, it would be at least a decade or two before it mattered.
No need for him to worry about it yet.
By then, even if he were alive, it should be for paving the way for the new ruler.
If Yinreng ascended, Kangxi knew well the result of alliance with Yin Hui and the Tong family—it wouldn’t be bad.
If not Yinreng… even better.
Kangxi’s gaze returned to the thin sheets of paper, his heart heavier than ever.
He knew Yinreng had been sensitive since childhood, unable to tolerate anyone threatening what was his—including the favor of his ‘sweat Ama’.
But he had believed that with his hand guidance and many masters assisting, the boy would at least understand that the family and the country belong foremost to the ruler.
‘Had Yinreng learned the way of ruling by heart so wrongly?!’
Though Fang He had repeatedly expressed doubts about Yinreng, Kangxi had never wavered in his trust.
But now… seeing line after line of names and ranks, he felt disappointed in Yinreng for the first time.
Kangxi closed his eyes again, suppressing his anger, and asked Fang He calmly, “What about that scholar?”
“What could it be?” Fang He said.
“He’s climbed to high ranks, caught the favor of a talented woman, and is just waiting for her to be selected and enter the capital. Then he plans to elope when she offers incense.”
Fang He moved beside Kangxi and gently massaged his temples.
Kangxi’s hand holding his Buddhist prayer beads trembled; with a forceful tug, the string snapped and the fine beeswax beads scattered.
Fang He’s motions didn’t stop, only her voice softened.
“You think it’s unbelievable too, right?”
“I considered many possibilities. Even if it were to stain Your Majesty’s reputation, it would at least be a palace matter, not something so harmful.”
Kangxi: “………”
He didn’t think so!
“But I can’t understand—how can someone treat their family fortune as solely theirs, allowing no one to covet it, yet recklessly set fire to it? Do they find the wealth too hot to handle?”
Kangxi was silent for a long moment, then sighed softly.
He grasped Fang He’s hand, pulling her onto his lap, resting his head gently on her shoulder, hiding the complexity in his eyes.
“What does Guoguo want to do?”
Fang He didn’t answer immediately, holding Kangxi’s face to meet his gaze.
“I know Your Majesty’s feelings for the Crown Prince and that the heir’s position cannot be lightly disturbed, so I don’t want to make this a big issue or cause you trouble.”
“I originally wanted this to remain within the palace, teaching the child slowly by your side.”
“But I cannot bear to see the people suffer, nor can I bear to see Your Majesty’s sleepless guardianship of the realm being ravaged by these villains. They don’t pity you, but I do.”
The cold waves in Kangxi’s eyes slightly receded at the seriousness behind Fang He’s words.
He asked again, “So, what does Guoguo want Me to do?”
Fang He wrapped her arms around his neck without hesitation.
“I want to set a trap for the traitors, then capture those who ruin the family’s reputation and tear them apart by five horses to warn others!”
As the Imperial Household Department had predicted, the talented women entering the capital on the seventeenth day of the fifth month had already arrived.
Irgen Jueluo Yue Shu, clutching a letter from her lover, brimmed with joy at the prospect of their meeting.
Before passing the city gates, scattered children took advantage of the moment when the women stepped down to present their travel passes and documents, slipping the letter into Yue Shu’s arms.
Her ‘Feng Gege’ had arranged to meet her three days later at Fa Yuan Temple.
Yue Shu had been caught communicating privately with a man and, aside from the days of the re-selection, had been under house arrest for two months.
Her family had already selected a husband for her—the legitimate Fuqin of Prince Jian Yabu, Yarjiang’a.
The two families had privately agreed, and the Prince Jian Residence had submitted a memorial, waiting only for her to pass the final selection.
Regardless of whether she entered the top three, the Emperor would grant the marriage.
Yue Shu had heard rumors about Yarjiang’a.
He didn’t get along with her father and was as flirtatious as Prince Jian Yabu—often a regular in brothels, with many concubines in his household.
He was even… a frequent patron of the Zhugongzi!
At the thought of becoming the Fuqin of such a promiscuous man, Yue Shu abandoned thoughts of her clan sisters, only wishing to elope with her promised lover far from the capital’s filth.
The naive girl didn’t understand love, but once caught, it doomed her life.
Such love was not merely like a moth to a flame; it was like oil on a hot pan—aside from the burning courage to defy all odds, nothing else could be recalled.
After arriving in the capital, those with relatives lived with them, while others stayed at courier stations or women’s academies.
Until the final top three were selected outside the palace, then admitted to Chuxiu Palace to learn etiquette before the final imperial selection.
Yue Shu was supposed to live at her maternal Irgen Jueluo residence.
Her father had already prepared a letter of introduction for former Minister of Personnel Ke’er Kun.
But she hadn’t presented it.
Listening to her maid’s advice, she settled instead at the Shuguan of Beicheng Women’s Academy, closer to her lover.
On the third morning, she rose early, reported to the academy’s steward with her maid, rented a carriage, and left the city at dawn, heading straight to Fa Yuan Temple.
Upon arrival, she was too excited to pay respects to Guanyin, pleading for longevity with her lover, and hurried off toward the guest quarters, then along a small path behind a great banyan tree.
‘Feng Gege’ had told her there was an abandoned Yingketing pavilion up the mountain path.
On one side of the pavilion was the wind-blocking Shigandang stone; behind it, the Yingkesong pine—a hidden corner to meet without being seen.
Recalling the last time she kissed her lover Feng, Yue Shu blushed and quickened her steps, joy rushing from her heart to limbs, making her heartbeat like drums.
She was out of breath after climbing for what felt like a tea break, finally seeing the abandoned pavilion and hastening toward the Shigandang.
Although the area was quieter, perhaps Feng Gege had waited so long he’d fallen asleep behind the stone.
She whispered to her maid as she approached, “Stay in the pavilion. If anyone comes, quietly warn me, and I’ll leave immediately—”
“Ah!!”
Before she could finish, the maid suddenly looked behind in alarm and cried out.
Yue Shu turned pale, seeing six tall men in black, bristling with menace, closing in.
Her long-awaited Feng Gege was thrown unconscious to the ground by the men.
Yue Shu screamed, “Who are you? Do you know who I am?!”
“Soon enough you will,” the leader growled with a chilling voice.
“Take them all away!”
As Yue Shu and her maid were terrified, Ling Pu, staying at an outside courtyard, had just woken from the night’s pleasures with a voluptuous concubine.
Rubbing her silky smooth skin, his eyes darkened with lust, and amid her coquettish moans, he mounted and indulged himself again.
When the reveille sounded, satisfied Ling Pu was attended by his weak concubine, who helped him wash and dress.
She teased, “My Lord, you said you had important business today, why still act this way? My legs are weak—today I might not be able to see you off.”
Ling Pu chuckled confidently, stroking her curves.
“No rush. After breakfast, there’ll be times when you’re even weaker. My important business is at night.”
Flushed, the concubine pouted and stamped her foot, “Do you have no sense of propriety? Could it be you’re saving your strength for someone else tonight?”
Men loved such praises and jealousy; the breakfast lingered, costing them much energy.
After pampering his concubine, Ling Pu happily exerted all his strength on her, busy half the morning, resting briefly, then working again for more than half an hour.
Only at dusk, feeling accomplished yet weak-legged, did he leave the outer residence, humming a tune as he headed to the meeting with Feng Gege, bringing travel passes and new identity verifications.
But when he reached the Fa Yuan Temple junction toward Jingji and the capital, before entering the forest he had checked beforehand, he had just dismounted when he heard the thuds of bodies hitting the ground.
His guards and coachman were down!
Instantly alert, hand flying to his waist to draw his sword, he shouted—
“Who’s there?!”
Before finishing, intense pain shot up from the back of his neck.
He only had time to regret wasting energy on that little woman.
A moment’s carelessness allowed a black hand to fall, and then there was nothing.
When Ling Pu awoke again, it was pitch dark, with a faint damp and moldy smell in the air, tinged with blood.
Uneasy, he sat up and groped around, sensing the smell was familiar.
With a sudden “boom,” a torch was lit.
Outside the pitch-black wooden bars stood a familiar expressionless face—it was imperial bodyguard Zhao Chang.
Ling Pu’s face went as pale as paper; he knew where he was.
Many times he had sent unwitting obstacles here on behalf of the Crown Prince and himself—
Office of Punishment and Investigation!
Though unaware of Zhao Chang’s secret identity, Ling Pu knew well that without the Emperor’s order, he, a high-ranking Imperial Household Department official and the Crown Prince’s milk brother, could not be sent here so easily.
Another day passed.
After court, Yinreng returned to Danning Residence and asked Xu Bao—
“Has Ling Pu sent word?”
Xu Bao was puzzled.
He bowed and replied, “Last night, I went to the Imperial Household Department and spoke with the eunuch beside Director Ling. He said Director Ling would enter the palace early today.”
“But I had someone check the Xihua Gate, and Director Ling did not enter.”
The Imperial Household Department directors and officers are all Bannermen, not eunuchs.
No outside men stay overnight in the palace; they leave before gates lock and enter the next day with court officials.
Ling Pu rarely arrives late, and he also handles affairs for the Crown Prince.
Yinreng’s right eyelid twitched severely, unease growing.
A few days ago, the Imperial Noble Consort had rushed into Chunhui Hall in panic, apparently having uncovered something serious.
He secretly checked, and all inside and outside the palace appeared normal; during court, His Majesty’s attitude toward him was unchanged.
As long as His Majesty hadn’t noticed, everything else was manageable.
He thought, with his secretive methods, even if the Imperial Noble Consort was clever, she shouldn’t have discovered anything about Ling Pu.
If not palace insiders, then something must have gone wrong outside.
Yinreng forced himself to suppress the unease and went to Chunhui Hall after breakfast for further instruction from Zhang Ying on state affairs.
But upon entering the side hall, he found Zhang Ying absent.
Outside, Liang Jiugong’s figure was missing too.
Inside, Kangxi sat where he always did, head lowered over a black memorial.
Yinreng’s eyelid twitched worse, and inexplicably, he felt short of breath.
He tried to stay calm, forcing a smile as he approached Kangxi to pay respects.
“Your servant greets My Lord. How come Your Majesty is here? Liang Anda is not attending you; this is inappropriate…”
Kangxi looked up calmly, cutting him off.
“I sent everyone away. If it were known that the Crown Prince I raised only uses base tactics, I would be ashamed.”
The smile froze on Yinreng’s face.