Chapter 12: Schemes

Jiankang Palace.

The imperial physicians were still taking turns performing acupuncture and treatment on the Emperor Yonghe, yet there was no improvement in his condition.
However, it had not worsened either.
Empress Huan had attended to him day and night without removing her robes for many days, her face growing increasingly haggard.

Xie Chongqing’s gaze was deep.
Imperial Physician Xun had long sent word to him—saying that the Empress guarded His Majesty’s side every day.
Even Liu the Grand Eunuch, one of the Emperor’s closest confidants, could not approach, let alone whisper anything into the Emperor’s ear.

“Your Majesty has already been watched over for many days by Your Highness.
Your health is important.
His Majesty is already in such a state—Your Highness must not collapse as well.
Why not let another beauty or concubine take turns attending here?”

Xie Chongqing spoke earnestly, but the Empress did not agree.

“Lord Xie exaggerates.
This palace truly cannot rest at ease.
I only wish to remain constantly at His Majesty’s side.”

She firmly occupied this place.
Even Consort Yu, who was usually most favored, could not approach the Emperor.

Even the princes and princesses who wished to visit their father were stopped outside, under the pretense of not disturbing the sick.

Yet because of this, the Empress’s virtuous reputation had surged throughout the court and among the people.
Calls to establish Prince Hui as Crown Prince were now the loudest.

In ordinary times, the great clans maintained harmony—supporting one another while restraining each other, preserving a balance of power.
But every clan still wished to suppress the others and gain the upper hand.

The once foremost clan, the Langya Wang family, had grown estranged from the imperial house after the previous clan head’s rebellion.
They were ridiculed by other aristocratic families for their unsightly greed, though none dared speak openly due to the Wang clan’s strength.

But at critical moments, these clans would never truly allow any one family to dominate them.

When Xie Chongqing left the palace, he happened to encounter Wang Chen entering.
The two put on a show as if nothing had happened, then passed each other by.

Outside the courtyard, Xie Ying was stopped by maids.
Fan Yuning stood beside her, offering gentle persuasion.
Inside the room, Yan Ling paid no attention to the outside world, grinding medicinal herbs into powder.

“Move aside.”
Xie Ying stared calmly at the maid before her.
Her red robes were dazzling to the eye.

As the legitimate daughter of the Xie clan, her entire bearing carried oppressive nobility that made others unable to meet her gaze.

Previously, she had tolerated being embarrassed at the banquet out of consideration for Yan Ling being a guest retainer.
But now, Yan Ling had provoked her again—taking away all the fruits and pastries she had prepared for offerings.

Xie Ying naturally could not swallow this grievance and came immediately to demand accountability.

Yet the maid blocked her firmly, not allowing her to step inside.
Xie Ying and Fan Yuning were not familiar with the capable people under Xie Chongqing, so they assumed the maid was simply brought by Yan Ling.

Fan Yuning advised softly, “Fourth Sister, calm your anger.
Perhaps Lady Yan did not know the purpose of those fruits and pastries.”

But those words only fanned the flames.

Xie Ying sneered.
“What does knowing or not knowing have to do with it?
Since they are mine, they should not have been touched.”

“I told you to move aside.”

Her voice rang sharply as she raised her hand to strike the maid.

The maid remained silent, standing firmly in front of Bamboo Purity Court.
At that moment, a gentle voice came from inside:

“Let Fourth Miss Xie come in.”

Xie Ying’s hand froze midair.
Only then did the maid step aside, allowing Xie Ying and Fan Yuning to enter.

There were few maids in the courtyard—only four or five.
They worked quietly and methodically, yet Xie Ying, keen as she was, immediately sensed something unusual.

“Fourth Miss Xie.”
Yan Ling stood on the steps, looking at her through her veil.

She did not bow.

Xie Ying grew even more displeased.
“Lady Yan must know why I am here.
As for the matter of you injuring me last time, I originally did not wish to pursue it.
But in the Xie residence, one must follow its rules.
For today’s matter, you either pack your belongings and leave—or apologize to me and copy five volumes of Buddhist scriptures.”

Xie Ying could not tolerate even a grain of sand in her eyes—especially someone so ignorant of her place.
Did this lowborn woman think that by putting on airs of mystery, she could climb into the ranks of the powerful?

Even if she were her brother’s woman, offending her meant being driven out.

Qingtao immediately spoke up, “Fourth Miss, Lady Yan is a guest of the master.
Without his permission, she cannot leave.”

Xie Ying’s expression darkened.
Yan Ling stepped in smoothly to give her a way out.

“Fourth Miss, please forgive me.
Today was my fault.
I did not know those fruits and pastries were urgently needed by you.
I had not eaten all day yesterday.
You are magnanimous—please accept my apology.”

Xie Ying’s expression softened slightly.
“At least you know your place.”

“The Buddhist scriptures will also be delivered on time.
To show sincerity, I am willing to go to your courtyard every day to copy them.”

Xie Ying snorted.
“If you’re willing to come, all the better.
Saves you from having someone else copy them for you.”

She swept her gaze around before leaving.

Fan Yuning gave Yan Ling a long look—one difficult to interpret, carrying both depth and a hint of pity.

Qingtao frowned.
“Miss, do you truly intend to go to Fourth Miss’s place?
Her temperament is harsh.
Why not inform the master?
Today was clearly unintentional.”

“No need.
The master wants me to keep a low profile.
If he intervenes, my identity would be exposed,” Yan Ling said lightly.

She had her own plans.
Xie Ying’s actions were like delivering a pillow just as she was drowsy.

She turned back into the room, forbidding anyone from entering.
Seated at the desk, she continued working on the medicinal and incense powders.

The next day, she carried paper and brush to Flowing Firefly Residence in the Western Hall.

Blue tiles and vermilion beams, carved rafters and painted columns—everything gleamed with gold.

She stood under the corridor.
Xie Ying reclined on a couch, dressed again in bright red.
Xie Ruo and Fan Yuning sat nearby at a low table, brewing tea and playing chess.

Seeing her arrive, disdain flashed in Xie Ying’s eyes.

Yan Ling quietly entered and found a table to set down her writing tools.

As she passed, a faint fragrance trailed behind her—tinged with a subtle medicinal scent.
The old nurse beside Fan Yuning showed a hint of disdain.

Meanwhile, the head matron beside Xie Ying spoke coldly:

“The Buddhist scriptures copied by Fourth Miss are for offerings.
The Xie residence has strict rules for copying them—different from the methods of commoners.
I fear you may not understand.”

She spread the scriptures beside Yan Ling.
The text was densely packed in clerical script, strokes intricate and crowded, to be copied onto narrow bamboo slips—without a single mistake allowed.

Fan Yuning hesitated to speak.
She believed Yan Ling was educated, but copying scriptures like this was far too difficult.
The demand was excessively harsh.
Still, she did not plead for her, only shook her head inwardly.

The Xie residence was not a place suited for her.
It would be best if she retreated on her own.

Xie Ruo and Xie Ying clearly thought the same, yet said nothing.
They simply ate fruit, certain Yan Ling would fail.

Unexpectedly, Yan Ling sat upright, lifted her wrist, and began writing calmly.

She glanced once at the scripture, then wrote.
Her brush moved like flowing clouds and swimming dragons.
The characters on the bamboo slips were well-proportioned—square and balanced, neat and precise.

Her hand never paused.
Behind the white veil, only her lowered lashes could be seen.
Soft light from the window fell upon her hair and lashes, as if gilding her in gold.

The head matron was momentarily speechless and looked toward Xie Ying.

At first, Fan Yuning thought Yan Ling was merely putting on a show.
But after half an hour of steady writing without even a change in breathing, she could not sit still and leaned over to look.

Every single character matched the scripture exactly.

Fan Yuning’s eyes filled with shock.
She exchanged a glance with Xie Ying, who thought the same.

Not only that—her speed was astonishing.
With a single glance, she could write several lines.

As time passed, the three women found their attention repeatedly drawn to her, not even noticing that the fragrance in the room had gradually grown stronger.

One volume was soon completed.

The head matron handed it to Xie Ying.
Her expression shifted several times, but she ultimately said nothing.

Yan Ling rose calmly.
“Since one volume is finished today, Xueci will take her leave.”

Xie Ruo could not help but remark, “Sister, her handwriting is far better than yours.
Even Sister Fan’s seems slightly inferior.”

Fan Yuning’s expression stiffened.

The matter of copying scriptures naturally did not escape Xie Chongqing.

In the past, he might have unconditionally favored this little Highness.
But now, he felt it was not bad for her to suffer a little—perhaps it would temper her sharp edges.

Yuan Che entered.
“Master, a message came from Bamboo Purity Court.
Lady Yan says her wrist hurts and asks if you could go take a look.”

An obvious excuse.

Xie Chongqing did not even raise his eyes.
“If her wrist hurts, call the physician.
Why call me?”

Yuan Che said nothing.
He believed the master should understand this was merely an attempt to find a way out.

Sure enough, a quarter of an hour later, Xie Chongqing stood up.

In Bamboo Purity Court, the physician had already prescribed medicine.
Hearing she still had four days of copying ahead, he gave her ointment for sprains and bruises.

Yan Ling rotated her wrist and looked at Xie Chongqing.
“Grand Tutor.”

Xie Chongqing sat to the side, watching coldly.

The others withdrew.
Yan Ling knelt beside him.
A faint medicinal fragrance drifted over—he assumed it was from the ointment.

“I know I was wrong.”
She admitted it honestly and proactively.

Xie Chongqing glanced at her.
“Your Highness need not force yourself to ingratiate.”

“I’m not.
I just… wanted to ask… is Gongsun Zhi still alive?”

Her expression betrayed fear and unease—she truly seemed shaken.

Realizing her lapse, she quickly lowered her head and forced a small smile.

Xie Chongqing studied her.

She seemed calculating, yet also capable of compassion for a lowborn man.
For once, he found her difficult to read.

But having a weakness was not necessarily a bad thing.
This little Highness had likely never faced real hardship.
Her clever schemes were minor—harmless at best.
But when faced with real bloodshed, she could not withstand it.

“If you know you were wrong, then do not repeat it,” he said, deliberately avoiding answering about Gongsun Zhi.

Yan Ling looked up in surprise, almost disbelieving.

Perhaps in Xie Chongqing’s eyes, she was insignificant—incapable of stirring any real trouble.
That was why she had room to exploit loopholes.

“Tomorrow, Your Highness need not go to Flowing Firefly Residence,” he said, assuming she only wanted to avoid the task.

Yan Ling hesitated.
“It’s fine to go.
Fourth Miss and Fifth Miss are… rather interesting.”

Xie Chongqing said nothing further.

After this incident, Yan Ling no longer dared to stir trouble.
Instead, she adopted a somewhat ingratiating attitude.

She forced a smile uglier than crying and picked up a lotus cake, bringing it to his lips—unaware that it lightly brushed against them.

“Grand Tutor, have a taste.
It’s sweet but not cloying.
I ate five in one day.”

Xie Chongqing frowned, pressing his lips together as he pushed her hand away.
“No need.”

Yan Ling showed no embarrassment at being rejected.
As if to cover it up, she took a bite herself.

Xie Chongqing’s gaze darkened slightly.