The High Priest lowered her head, remained silent for a moment, and finally spoke: “Prince of Yu, I previously lied to you. The one who met with me and tampered with the golden cup was not Prince Ning, but a subordinate of Grand Minister Cen.”
My heart was in turmoil, and I barely maintained my composure. “Why?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“I was threatened,” she confessed. “When I accused Grand Minister Cen and Prince Ning, it was for the same reason.”
“Who threatened you?!” I lost control and stepped closer, asking sternly.
“I… I don’t know,” she hesitated, glancing at me. “It was a prison guard.”
“A prison guard threatened you?” I was furious.
“Enough, take her away,” Emperor Hong waved his hand. “A Yao, let me explain.”
An ordinary prison guard had taken a personal item of the High Priest’s loved one, using it to coerce her into lying and testifying against Grand Minister Cen and Prince Ning. Emperor Hong, with his keen insight, had arranged a meeting that compelled her to tell the truth.
“If you still don’t believe, I can have that subordinate of Grand Minister Cen brought over for a confrontation.”
I felt a chill, like a cold wind blowing over me after sweating, causing waves of trembling.
This method reminded me of an impersonation case in Qi Kingdom years ago, when the Ministry of Personnel official changed his testimony after talking to An Jin. I could no longer deceive myself.
Emperor Hong looked at me compassionately. “A Yao, think about whose man this prison guard is.”
The black winter night comes especially early…
I will translate the text into English:
“At that time, I thought, since you’d already discovered something, I might as well tell you the truth.” He held me in his arms, patting me intermittently. “You would find out someday.”
“Then why didn’t you just make up an excuse?”
“I don’t want to lie to you, not even a little bit.” He suddenly fell silent.
I emerged from his embrace, sat up straight, and stared into his eyes. “Brother Jin, you will never lie to me, right?”
He was stunned and did not answer for a long time.
I persistently looked into his eyes, determined to get an answer.
Finally, he lowered his head and murmured, “I’m sorry, A Yao. I did indeed lie to you.”
The imperial uncle was right; everything was An Jin’s scheme. He knew I couldn’t bring myself to act against Yun Qiao, so he forced my hand through the golden cup incident. The arrest of the high priest and the upheaval in the Ministry of Personnel were all related to him.
He knew I would go to the high priest about the golden cup matter and had made arrangements in advance. Ultimately, he aimed to force the high priest to implicate Yun Qiao, pushing her into a desperate situation. He planned to produce evidence at the right moment before the three departments, sealing their fate.
I never thought An Jin’s carefully planned scheme would be used against me. I had become another chess piece in his hands, moved as he wished.
“It’s my fault,” I finally said, each word difficult. “A Yao, will you forgive me?”
“Why?” I stared at his embarrassed face.
“I was afraid you would go soft, that Jiang Yun Qiao cannot be left alive…”
“Why have you become like this?” I distanced myself from him. He looked sad, wanting to grab my hand, but I dodged.
“My dear,” my mother said, shaking her head and taking my hand. “In the past, you were carefree, always happy. But now, you look worried all the time, rushing home. Think about it, how long has it been since we had a good talk? Have you visited your younger sister since her marriage?”
I blinked and sat there in a daze.
It turned out that the person who had changed was not just An Jin, but also myself. Mother was right; people change with their environment, time, and circumstances. An Jin and I were changing in different directions, which is why we were growing apart.
“Whenever there’s a conflict between husband and wife, it typically involves both,” my mother said. “A Yao, regardless of what your son-in-law did to hurt you, consider whether you’ve made him uncomfortable. His feelings towards you are truly evident…”
I chuckled at her words. “Heaven and earth can bear witness? Mother, that doesn’t sound like you.”
“It’s what your father taught me,” she laughed. “Even your father thinks this son-in-law is beyond reproach.”
We smiled at each other just as my older brother and Miao Yin entered with my niece Miao Miao.
“A Yao is here?” my brother said cheerfully. “Perfect, let’s have a nice meal together.”
“Great!” I waved to Miao Yin and Miao Miao. “Did you receive the gold lock I made for Miao Miao?”
“Here it is,” Miao Yin said, lifting the gold lock around Miao Miao’s neck. “Say hello to Auntie.”
Miao Miao pouted. “Yi… Ya…”
I took Miao Miao, but as soon as I held her, she began to cry, so I quickly handed her back to Miao Yin.
“This child,” Miao Yin said apologetically. “Why be afraid of your own aunt?”
I sighed. It was normal for Miao Miao not to recognize me; I hadn’t seen her often since her birth. I realized I had neglected so much lately, preoccupied with official duties, social obligations, and learning, leaving my family behind. Reflecting on it, I felt I was not without fault.
After leaving home, I went directly to Prince Ning’s residence. He was about to embark on a journey, and the mansion was in disarray. Jiang Yunqiao was headed to Raozhou, a distant place known for frequent earthquakes and hardly prosperous. It seemed like a land grant, but was actually a punishment. Officials who once fawned over her now avoided her, and many servants had also left. The exotic beasts had either been sent away or released. The entire residence appeared desolate and quiet.
Only Ah Fu remained, laughing innocently, which made my heart ache. Jiang Yunqiao, seeing me, handed Ah Fu to her consort and walked with me.
“What brings you here?” Despite her fallen status, she still smiled freely and at ease.
“Came to see Ah Fu,” I smiled at her. “Am I to blame?”
She shook her head. “It’s each person’s ability to win or lose. Once defeated, why blame heaven and others? But about the gold cup incident—”
“I know you didn’t do it,” I replied. “I heard Raozhou isn’t a good place. If you need anything after you go, just let me know.”
“Don’t worry, Ah Yao. I’m going to a granted land, not wandering. I’m sorry only to them, making them suffer with me.”
“What about Xia Zhiyuan? What do you plan to do with him?”
Her smile faded. “I’ll take him with me. Leaving him here would keep me on edge.”
“Will he agree?” Given Xia Zhiyuan’s temperament, he would not accept such a defeat easily. Now that Jiang Yunqiao lost her power, he would likely seek another patron.
She wore a bitter smile. “What if he doesn’t agree? I must take him away. He’s no match for An Jin. Staying in Fenzhu would lead to certain death.” She looked at me again. “Ah Yao, please show mercy with An Jin. I swear, while I’m in Raozhou, he will never pose a threat to you.”
“Let me talk to him.”
If not for the cold war between me and An Jin, he would have already dealt with Xia Zhiyuan.
By meeting Xia Zhiyuan before him, I aimed to give Yunqiao a chance to protect him.
Xia Zhiyuan was closely guarded by Yunqiao’s people. When he saw me, he appeared calm.
“You’ve come to see me in total defeat?”
I shook my head and sat across from him. “You don’t want to die, right?”
He raised an eyebrow and laughed. “So you’ve come to negotiate. Go ahead, what are your terms?”
“The Absolute Child Wine,” I stared at him. “Give me the antidote, and I’ll spare your life.”
He seemed momentarily stunned before understanding. “What’s the big deal? If An Jin can’t have children, can’t he just find another man?”
