Jintang

CHAPTER 5

21

The Empress, the original culprit, was forgiven by him.

He took away the Empress's authority over the six palaces, confining her to the Weiyang Palace to recuperate, which could be considered as avenging me.

“When you’re feeling better, I’ll make you a Gui Fei (noble consort). Please, stop causing trouble, alright?”

Cause trouble?

After Song Zhen’er’s corpse was found, I took the bloodied hairpin she had worn and sent it to the Empress in Weiyang Palace as a visit gift.

I heard the hairpin still carried the smell of decay, and the Empress vomited all day.

When it reached Shen Chong, he came to console me.

I didn’t respond, simply snapping off a branch of the wintersweet with a sharp crack.

“What if I still want her to pay with her life?”

“Meng Jin!”

He was reminding me that I was Meng Jin, the useless person with no future in the Yongyi Marquis Manor.

Everything I had now was given to me by him.

I should obediently listen, let myself be molded.

But in this spring of March, I felt cold.

“Did she die by her hand too? Was she protected like this by you?”

My blunt question left Shen Chong breathless.

“Today I have important matters, I’ll come see you tomorrow.”

He always avoided mentioning Yun Tang.

Because of guilt, because of fear, because he couldn’t face it.

“They say... it was she who drove her to death.”

Shen Chong’s back stiffened, his eyes filled with a cold, vicious glare as they locked onto my face.

But I wasn’t afraid.

“Isn’t one death enough for you? Must you take another life from me?”

“Or do you never love her, and never feel anything for me?”

“Impudent!”

For the first time, he was truly furious, slapping me across the face.

“I’ve spoiled you too much, allowed you to grow so arrogant and unaware of your place.”

“Who do you think you are? Just a toy I keep for my amusement.”

“From today on, you will stay in the palace and take care of yourself. You’re not allowed to go anywhere.”

He loved my rebelliousness, my wildness.

Yet, he despised that I wasn’t obedient.

Just like with Yun Tang, he loved her enough to let her sacrifice everything for him.

But then he found her hands stained with blood, too vicious in her actions.

He preferred the grace of Zhu Huan, the sweetness of Wan Qiong, and the obedience of Song Zhen’er.

With that, he slowly and repeatedly destroyed Yun Tang’s heart.

In truth, he had always only loved himself.

I dropped the scissors, watching his resolute back, remaining silent for a moment.

“I’ve handed you the knife time and time again, offering you chances to make amends, but you chose to refuse.”

“From now on, you can’t blame me.”

22

I was left in Guanju Palace for many days, not having seen a glimpse of Shen Chao's face.

Everyone said that Ru Fei had become too arrogant, offending the Empress, and had lost favor as a result.

With the Ru Fei’s fall from grace, the Empress fell ill, and the one most pleased by this turn of events was Chen Fei.

She had gained the power to oversee the Six Palaces, while her son, holding evidence of the Third Prince’s corruption and bribery, stood tall in the court.

The Third Prince was continuously reported by officials, causing Shen Chao to be thoroughly disappointed.

In the end, he took away the Third Prince’s real power, ordering him to properly rest and recuperate.

When Zhu Huan heard the news, she spat blood and weakly requested to see Shen Chao.

That day, I was flying a kite in the courtyard.

The soaring eagle was lifelike, as though it truly lived, dancing in the skies above the palace.

Shen Chao stood outside Weiyang Palace, watching it for a long time.

Once inside, he had a fierce argument with the Empress.

The eagle had been a birthday gift that my younger brother had shot down and given to Shen Chao.

It reminded him of my brother and of what he had said: “Sister has nothing, but you and I. She will risk her life for us, and we should protect her with ours.”

My brother had lived up to that promise, but he hadn’t.

It was his inner wound, and the Empress was now rubbing salt in that wound, naturally unable to save her favored son.

Seeing my defeat, the Yongyi Marquis Manor, which was excluded by the aristocratic families, began to take advantage of the fire.

The Marquis sent a letter to me, commanding with feigned pity:

“Quickly acknowledge your roots and bring a side branch of the Meng family into the palace to secure your favor.”

“Once the child is born and raised in your presence, you’ll have something to rely on.”

“Only by securing the Emperor’s favor can you and the Meng family have a better future.”

After autumn, the grasshoppers still dare to jump.

Since they dared to approach me like this, I naturally wouldn’t hold back from helping them on their way to their end.

Seeing that the Empress and Chen Fei had become bitter enemies, I saw no further need to stay hidden.

Thus, that letter found its way to Shen Chao’s desk.

Which emperor would want his bed and heirs to be manipulated by officials?

Especially when his once-favored consort had fallen so far that she became subject to the ridicule of everyone.

In the blink of an eye, the Meng family was caught up in a conspiracy from the former dynasty, their estate confiscated, and they were exiled—all in the span of a moment.

Look, if the emperor wants to help you, it’s just a matter of raising his hand.

But he simply didn’t want to.

Shen Chao was reminded of my pitiful isolation and helplessness.

After leaving me cold for a month, he came to see me again.

“You’ve learned your lesson, now you must learn to behave.”

My knife had been taken away, leaving me to pick at my nails:

“Didn’t you say you liked my wildness and unruliness?”

Seeing me still banter with him, his anger subsided.

“The palace isn’t a place for fighting and killing.”

“There are many ways to protect yourself, and I will provide them for you, but you must be obedient.”

I curled my lips in disdain:

“Unless, you give me a child.”

“That’s no problem. The Empress Dowager just happens to have a suitable one.”

The sickly, weak royal prince, who looked like a sickly cat, was brought before me.

The child shyly hid behind someone, showing not a trace of a prince’s demeanor.

The wet nurse repeatedly apologized:

“Your Grace, please forgive us. The Fourth Prince’s health isn’t well, and he is a bit timid.”

This child had lost his mother at birth and had been raised under the Empress Dowager's care. However, since the Empress Dowager was often absent from the palace, the child ended up under the care of Zhu Huan.

For eight out of ten months, he had been ill.

But, still, he was alive.

And now, he had fallen into my hands.

I rose with a smile, a warmth on my face that had never been there before.

“Come here, let me take a good look at what my son looks like.”

Having a child for Shen Chao?

Meng Jin's body was unsuitable.

And I wasn’t foolish enough to hand my weak spot over to him.

Besides, I couldn’t wait any longer.

The ready-made one would do just fine.

23

Without the backing of a powerful family, all I had was Shen Chao, and he never suspected me.

My adopted son, naturally, had the best teachers and the finest accommodations.

Even Shen Chao, during the times he accompanied me, would often play chess and paint with the obedient Shen Yuran, occasionally even helping me plant flowers.

As I continued to rise, my son gradually made a name for himself, and Chen Fei couldn't sit still any longer.

The Second Prince grew closer to various officials, even taking a ruthless stance towards the Third Prince, aiming to completely eliminate him.

He further encouraged the court officials to pressure Shen Chao into naming a successor.

The emperor, in the prime of his life, was already pressured by his son to name the Crown Prince, which was a taboo.

Yet, he still grasped at insignificant matters to criticize my son.

Chen Fei had schemed meticulously for her son's rise, only for everything to stop just one step away.

The Second Prince, who had been plotting and hurting his own siblings, was exiled to his fief and banned from entering the capital.

All of this began with me subtly encouraging Chen Fei to have the Second Prince make an appearance, setting in motion the inevitable outcome.

When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. The ministers who had been scheming for their own gain came to me, eager to please, but I paid them no mind.

However, when the wives of the ministers were drinking tea, I casually mentioned the once-proud and ambitious Meng family.

“Perhaps it’s because their daughter was unlucky, severing all ties with her family.”

Given my actions before returning to the palace, it didn’t take long for people to guess my intentions.

The young master of the Meng family couldn’t endure the hardships of exile and threw himself into the river, his body later found only as a skeleton.

The old master of the Meng family couldn’t bear the loss and collapsed, unable to move from his bed.

Madam Meng now resembled an old servant, working day and night but unable to even secure enough food to survive.

A lonely, desolate soul, trapped in endless suffering, an utterly tragic fate.

They remembered they still had a daughter, and, filled with regret, they began to inquire about her.

But others sneered, replying:

“Emperor's favored consort, is she someone you can question?”

“You should have abandoned that thought of climbing the social ladder long ago.”

I was drying some jerky, the best and most fragrant jerky. My son asked me:

“Does it still hurt, Mother?”

I touched my chest:

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Meng Jin no longer hurts.

The one who still hurts is Yun Tang.

24

I never expected someone would use my cruelty and unfilial behavior against me.

When I was granted the title of Gui Fei, the censors impeached me for not being worthy of the position.

Shen Chong was furious.

I advised him:

“I don't care about being Gui Fei or not.”

“Having you and Ran'er by my side is enough.”

“Is it really enough?”

Chen Fei entered with a smile, followed by the long-absent Empress.

The two people, both like stray dogs, had teamed up once again.

“Is Ru Fei really the daughter of the Meng family?”

The question struck at the heart.

“Of course not.”

I replied directly.

Both their faces darkened, and I continued:

“I am an orphan, didn't you know?”

Chen Fei still wore that serene expression, but she presented evidence meant to destroy me:

“But all of this proves that you're not an orphan, but rather... the descendant of a traitor, from the Yun family.”

Shen Chong squeezed my hand so hard it hurt, his eyes full of suspicion.

“The Yun family's traitor descendant? Is that true?”

Zhu Huan sighed regretfully:

“Back then, the side consort was exposed as the descendant of a traitor and couldn't escape, jumping into the Weiyang Lake.”

“Who would've thought, she had a beautiful younger sister. What a pity.”

Though she spoke of regret, her face showed nothing but delight.

They probably thought that by teaming up again, I would have no way out.

“Where did this evidence come from?”

Chen Fei smiled gently:

“A maid from the Zhen Pin Palace sent it to me before she committed suicide. All the proof is of you encouraging her to use the Empress's hand to take your own child's life.”

“Sister, do you still have something to say?”

Shen Chong's expression was terrifyingly dark.

I knew he was suppressing his anger, waiting for me to explain.

So, I opened the letter and read it word by word for Shen Chong to see.

“Your Majesty, who do you think wrote this?”

Shen Chong's eyes narrowed, and he could no longer hold back. He slapped Chen Fei across the face with all his strength.

The Empress was startled:

“Your Majesty, you must have struck the wrong person! It was Ru Fei who did all the evil!”

Shen Chong lowered his gaze to her, his eyes filled with nothing but disappointment.

“The Empress is in poor health and should return to the palace to rest. I shall treat it as though you were never here today.”

After all, they were once a couple, and at this moment, he still defended her.

But how could Zhu Huan let go of this long-awaited opportunity for revenge?

She led a group of concubines and knelt directly before Shen Chong:

“Your servant is the ruler of the central palace, and it is my duty to offer counsel. Traitors and rebels by your side pose a threat to the nation of Da Chu. For the sake of the kingdom and Your Majesty, I beseech you to execute the Yun family's orphan!”

Chen Fei also covered her face, her eyes filled with tears as she echoed:

“Yun Tang died in disgrace that year, and I fear the Yun family holds a grudge. Having someone with such ill intentions remaining by Your Majesty's side is a threat to the throne and the state.”

They had once conspired together to assassinate Yun Tang, a fact Shen Chong had not witnessed.

But today, as they relentlessly pressed me, Meng Jin, he saw it all clearly.

“Your Majesty, if you do not believe me, I have brought the testimonies of the Meng family. Meng Jin was always timid and shy, never daring to speak much in front of others. How could she be so bold and reckless, like Ru Fei?”

“The Yun family woman is merely wearing Meng Jin's skin to deceive Your Majesty. I beg you to think carefully.”

The concubines of the six palaces knelt in unison, forcing me to my death.

I lightly flicked my sleeve and couldn't help but smile at Shen Chong:

“What should we do? Will you die, or shall I?”

Everyone was stunned, their faces full of rage, glaring at me:

“Ru Fei, how dare you!”

The Empress was even more anxious:

“Your Majesty, at this point, are you still going to indulge her and protect her?”

“Then what does the Empress think I should do?”

Shen Chong's indifferent face curled into a cold smile, and with a flick of his robes, he sat on a stone bench.

The Empress gave me a cold smile:

“Traitors and rebels naturally deserve to have their heads displayed publicly.”

Shen Chong nodded, deep in thought.

Then, he waved his hand:

“Someone, drag her away and display her head for all to see.”

The Empress and Chen Fei exchanged a glance, both secretly pleased and confident of their victory.

But in the next moment, the attendants led by Chief Eunuch Wu dragged Chen Fei away instead.

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T/N: Okay, in this chapter and the previous one, even I, the translator, am getting confused about who said what. So please interpret it on your own. I've tried my best to avoid mixing up he and she. The language used is possibly Classical Chinese, which made many parts very difficult to translate. 😭

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