The next morning, the news of the Crown Prince's suicide due to guilt reached the palace. The Emperor's expression was complex upon hearing it; he had kept the Crown Prince imprisoned, unsure how to deal with him, only for the prince to take his own life to escape punishment.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince plotted rebellion and has now died of guilt. How shall he be dealt with?"
"Enough. He is already dead, and further investigation is futile. Bury him with the rites of a Crown Prince and posthumously confer upon him the title of Prince Jing."
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince committed grave errors..."
"No matter how many mistakes he made, death erases them all. Moreover, the Crown Princess reported his treason, and we cannot implicate her and her children. Let this matter be concluded thus."
The Crown Prince's death was officially announced as a death from illness, and he was interred with the full honors of a Crown Prince.
Upon hearing the Emperor's decree, Xue Guojiu breathed a sigh of relief. The Emperor, perhaps out of guilt, had spared the Crown Prince's children. While he often favored Prince Chu, in truth, he cared for none of his sons, for they all coveted the throne.
"Father, the saying 'the imperial family is the most heartless' is truly accurate. I have finally experienced it." Xue Ning'er watched the children reading and writing, her eyes filled with boundless tenderness.
"The Crown Prince's treason was not publicly disclosed, so his children need not fear implication. Among the remaining princes, their strengths are comparable, and all are adults. With a little fanning of the flames, His Majesty may very well appoint the eldest imperial grandson as Crown Prince!" Xue Guojiu's lips curved into a determined smile. "Daughter, you must take good care of the eldest imperial grandson."
"Father, rest assured, daughter will care for the eldest imperial grandson. However, Her Majesty the Empress..."
"With the Crown Prince dead, how can His Majesty tolerate the Empress any longer?" Xue Guojiu sneered. "He will likely soon announce that the Empress, overcome with grief at the Crown Prince's passing, fell ill and subsequently died."
"Indeed. His Majesty still feels a shred of guilt towards the Crown Prince, but towards the Empress, he must be filled with seething hatred," Xue Ning'er said slowly. "The woman by his side plotted against his life. With an emperor's suspicion and distrust, how could he possibly spare her?"
"Speaking of which, have you heard the rumors circulating today?" Xue Guojiu asked hesitantly.
Xue Guojiu frowned. "I only heard from a servant who returned from outside that there are rumors everywhere that the Empress Dowager has an illegitimate son."
"What?" Xue Ning'er's eyes widened. "The Empress Dowager has an illegitimate son? With whom?"
"Servant!"
"Crown Princess, Lord Guojiu."
"Tell us about the rumors outside today."
"Yes." The servant immediately reported, "The real prince, the fake prince, the Empress Dowager has an illegitimate son, the real mother and son, the fake mother and son, a civet cat has replaced the real prince."
Xue Ning'er chuckled. "Where did you hear this children's rhyme?"
"It has spread throughout the imperial city. In tea houses and wine shops outside, they have turned it into jokes and are singing it. Even children playing in the streets are singing this rhyme."
"The Empress Dowager must have offended someone, wouldn't you say?" Xue Ning'er said with a smile. "Father, does this rhyme mean that the Empress Dowager gave birth to an illegitimate son and replaced the real prince with her own illegitimate son?"
Xue Guojiu nodded affirmatively. "Ning'er, you must think about the deeper implications."
"Deeper implications?" Xue Ning'er frowned, pondering. "The Empress Dowager replaced the prince with her illegitimate son. Why would she replace a prince... The Empress Dowager wants to support her own son to ascend the throne!"
"The world knows that the Empress Dowager and His Majesty are not mother and son by blood, and the Empress Dowager has always claimed no interest in imperial power. But now, she has replaced the Emperor's son with her own son. How can His Majesty tolerate her? And how could he spare that fake prince? No matter who that fake prince is, it is entirely beneficial to us!"
"If that fake prince is Prince Qin, then I will be laughing in my sleep!"
"This imperial capital is in turmoil, and chaos is about to erupt. At this time, what we must do is stay behind closed doors, avoid the storm, and wait until they are both exhausted, then we can reap the rewards!"
"Daughter understands."
"We shall simply wait for chaos to descend upon the palace."
Rumors outside the palace intensified, causing Lord Jin's face to pale with fright. He desperately wished to fly into the palace and discuss with the Empress Dowager how to remedy the situation. Yet, he feared that if he sought out the Empress Dowager, it would only solidify the rumors of her questionable character, of her having an illegitimate son and replacing the real prince!
Lord Jin paced back and forth in his room, his heart filled with anxiety. In his distress, a splitting headache seized him, as if someone were forcefully stirring his brain with a stick. The pain was so intense that his head felt as if it would explode. He rolled on the ground, clutching his head, even banging it against the floor in an attempt to alleviate the agony.
Madam Jin, watching Lord Jin writhe in agony, curved her lips into a cold smile. "Jin Xiao, you cannot even endure this small pain? Do you know that when I discovered that the son I doted on for over a decade was the child of my enemy, and my own flesh and blood had been mistreated by me for eighteen years, I was utterly heartbroken!"
"Madam, calm yourself. We cannot let others discover us."
Madam Jin glanced again at Lord Jin, who was still writhing on the ground in pain, and quietly departed with her attendants. Lord Jin's pained cries echoed from the room, and those nearby kept their distance, afraid of overhearing something they shouldn't and consequently disappearing from this world.
Jin Rong sat on a railing, sipping tea and admiring the flowers. "The winter jasmine this year is blooming exceptionally early. It is not a good omen."
"Young Master, the early blooming of these flowers signifies good fortune for you. They are prematurely heralding your joy."
"You young rascal, you do know how to speak," Jin Rong said, taking another sip of tea. "It's truly unexpected, the sheer volume of dramatic events today. It's quite dazzling, almost overwhelming."
"Does Young Master refer to the rumors circulating about the Empress Dowager having an illegitimate son?"
"More than that," Jin Rong said slowly. "The Crown Prince's suicide, the Empress Dowager's illegitimate son hidden among the princes... I have a feeling that today's grand performance has only just begun."
"Such a significant matter as the Empress Dowager having an illegitimate son has been exposed. What greater event could there be?"
"We shall wait and see."
Jin Rong understood in his heart that Xiao Man had made her move, and it would not be as simple as merely targeting the Empress Dowager. General Xiao's tragic death... With Xiao Man's character, she would absolutely not let the murderer go. The Empress Dowager was just the beginning!
"Young Master, the master has fallen ill again," the steward reported. Ever since the eldest young master died prematurely, the master had been frequently falling ill. When he did, he was unrecognizable to his family, and now, no one dared to approach him.
"Guard the door well. Let the physician tend to him when he tires himself out," Jin Rong instructed. "Also, have the kitchen prepare some light meals. If the master wakes, he will eat."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Young Master is truly kind to the master. Even after how the master treated you, you repay his harshness with kindness. I consider myself thrice-blessed to follow Young Master!"
"Enough, stop your flattery. Go outside and investigate to see where these rumors originated."
"Yes, Young Master."