Shun Consort had only just regained her senses, her mind still clouded, yet she remembered with painful clarity the precarious place she and her son held within the grand palace of Daming. The Emperor may once have favored her, but soon after she gave birth, he resolved to send her son away—to guard the imperial tombs deep in the mountains.
She remembered that early snow of winter, the bitter cold that had already blanketed the ground. Weakened from childbirth, she knelt outside the Hall of Purple Radiance, beseeching His Majesty to retract the decree. Snowflakes slowly covered the stone steps; then came a blizzard. Her body, still unpurged from childbirth, throbbed with pain, her abdomen convulsing as if something within were being forcibly expelled. A surge of heat spilled beneath her, though her body remained cold as ice.
She dared not clutch her abdomen, but endured the torment, kneeling upright with unyielding resolve. Yet even so, the Emperor refused to grant her an audience.
All she could do was beg the chief eunuch who came to soothe her."Please, Lord Chamberlain, relay this to His Majesty: I have heard that to quell calamities like earthquakes, a sacrifice must be made. The Ninth Prince is but a child. I am willing to go to the imperial tombs and leap into the sacrificial furnace myself."
Gao Fu had sighed as he went to see the Emperor. Only after a long while did he return and say: "His Majesty will alter the Ninth Prince's birth record. There will be no need for a sacrifice."
"Please rise, My Lady," he had urged her then, wrapping her in a thick cloak. "The days ahead are long. You must think for the Prince's sake."
Indeed, the days stretched on endlessly. Yet Shun Consort and Li Ce remained the most obscure shadows in the sprawling palace of Daming.
While the other princes received the Emperor's personal guidance, all she could offer her son were letter after letter, fearing that the chill and damp of the tomb would mold him into a boy who was selfish, narrow-minded, and filled with resentment.
Today, upon seeing Li Ce again, Shun Consort could only thank the heavens.
Her son had grown so well—so well that she felt she could forgive everything. She no longer wished to dwell on the past, nor did she want Li Ce dragged into peril.
"Mother…" Li Ce tried to comfort her, but caught sight of the look in her eyes. A gaze filled with fear, caution, and an overwhelming protectiveness toward him—a mother's gaze, one that made guilt surge in his heart.
His heart softened. His mother had just recovered. She could not bear another shock.
"Listen to your mother," Shun Consort said gently. "His Majesty is wise and resolute. He may be momentarily deceived, but it will not last. If you denounce your brother or other consorts now, His Majesty may deem you lacking in virtue. Never forget—your mother by law is the Empress."
Li Ce nodded slightly, his eyes downcast.
Shun Consort continued, "You've read the Analects. When Lord Ye said to Confucius, 'In my land, there is a man of upright character. His father stole a sheep, and he testified against him,' how did Confucius respond?"
In the Analects, the lord of Ye boasted that in his domain was a man of integrity—one who exposed his father's crime of stealing a sheep—and sought Confucius's opinion.
Confucius's answer was unexpected. Though reluctant, Li Ce recited softly:"Confucius said, 'In our land, integrity is shown differently. A father conceals for his son, and a son conceals for his father—within this lies true uprightness.'"
That is, in their land, filial piety surpasses the law. A son shielding his father, and a father shielding his son, is not a denial of justice, but its embodiment through familial duty.
"To denounce your legal mother before the Emperor would be a grave disrespect to kinship and custom," Shun Consort said gently. "His Majesty has said he will investigate—then as his son, you must trust him. Even if you know which consort aided the traitors, it is not your place to bring it before the throne, lest you place His Majesty in a moral quandary."
She had guessed it was the Empress, Li Ce's lawful mother. To expose her would be a grievous breach of propriety.
"I understand," Li Ce said. "I shall return and wait for word."
"That's right."
Shun Consort patted his shoulder lightly, then looked toward the courtyard. "Where is Miss Ye? I would like to have a word with her."
Ye Jiao arrived quickly. Her face was clean, though her dress was still stained. Shun Consort looked at her with a mixture of guilt and deep gratitude. She wished to take Ye Jiao's hand, but feared making her nervous. Instead, she studied her face for a long time, then turned to Li Ce and said with feigned disdain, "You're not good enough for her."
Li Ce protested immediately, "I'm not that bad!"
"You're far behind, far behind," Shun Consort teased, walking over to Ye Jiao, her voice light and cheerful, though her eyes shimmered with tears.
"Thank you, truly. But a mere 'thank you' is insufficient to express my gratitude. I had nothing suitable to give today, but if you ever have the time, I would love to invite you for a meal."
"All right," Ye Jiao replied simply, her round face dimpling with a quiet smile, her eyes bright as spring water.
"I won't keep you," Shun Consort said, satisfied as she looked at the pair. "Go on, you both must be busy."
Li Ce and Ye Jiao bowed and took their leave from the Daming Palace.
Li Ce's steps were lighter than usual, his words more frequent.
"Jiao Jiao…""Hmm?" she looked at him, but he said nothing.
After a few more paces, he spoke again,"Jiao Jiao…"
This time, his voice was brimming with tenderness, yet still he said nothing more.
By the third time he called her name, Ye Jiao lost her patience."Just say it already!" she chided, laughing and giving him a light shove.
Li Ce halted and looked at her on the imperial avenue where the spring breeze gently blew. His gaze was deep, flickering with delight. Though he wore a smile, his voice trembled.
"My mother is well.""She is," Ye Jiao nodded.
"It's all thanks to you," he said again. "My mother is well. From now on…"
He could not go on. The words in his heart sounded too sentimental, too self-pitying. He had a mother now—one who truly cherished him. He no longer had to envy others.
Ye Jiao tilted her head, eyes wide, her face almost brushing his. She teased, "Are you about to cry?"
They had reached the carriage. Li Ce stepped close, wrapped an arm around her waist, and lifted her in.
"I'm not." He climbed in after her, exhaling a long breath. "I'm just… truly happy."
Where joy blooms, sorrow often lingers elsewhere.
At Prince Jin's manor, Li Zhang put down his book and asked, "Who has regained consciousness?""Shun Consort," replied the aide. "The palace just sent word."
Li Zhang's face darkened.
The events of eight years ago remained vivid in his mind. That night, Yan Jide conspired to exploit the lightning strike on Shoukang Palace to amplify the flames and frame the then-commander of the Imperial Guard, hoping to seize power.
Shun Consort had overheard the plot. To silence her, Yan Jide drove her mad with three terrifying lies, then turned to Li Zhang for help.
Li Zhang, needing the Guard's support, pleaded with the Empress to silence the servants in Shun Consort's quarters, burying the incident.
Never had he imagined that after all these years, Shun Consort would awaken.
"How did she recover?" he asked, still outwardly calm.
He stood by the window, the black jade pendant at his waist swaying slightly—the only sign of his unease.
"I heard it was Ye Jiao who treated her," the aide replied.
"Absurd," Li Zhang scoffed coldly. "Has the Duke of Anguo's estate opened an apothecary now?"
The aide bowed his head and reported the details he had uncovered.
Li Zhang's hand came to rest on the table, fingertips brushing the book before him.
"Your Highness, shall we…" the aide ventured, sensing his master's inaction.
"Do nothing," Li Zhang said calmly. "The Emperor will investigate. Yan Jide still lives. It is not our place to speak."
Indeed, Yan Jide yet breathed.
For falsely accusing Li Ce of treason and attempting to destroy the evidence, His Majesty had confiscated his assets and exiled him three thousand miles as punishment.
If the Emperor now uncovered that Yan Jide was involved in Shun Consort's downfall, he would act without hesitation.
"To meet a thousand changes with stillness—that is the wisest course," Li Zhang murmured. "There are doubtless many waiting to see me overstep and disgrace myself…"